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CQEXRIGIfr DEPOSm 









THE THRIET TWINS 








The twins cut several basketfuls of fresh vegetables. 




THE THRIFT TWINS 


By 

Francis B. Pearson 

Author of Uncle Danny’s Neighbors, Reveries of a 
Schoolmaster, The Reconstruction School, 

The Teacher, Etc. 


and 

Alma Paschall 

Teacher of English in Waite High School, 
Toledo, Ohio 


Illustrated by 
Elisabeth B. Warren 


INDIANAPOLIS 

THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANT 
PUBLISHERS 


Copyrlgrht 1921 

THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY 




Printed in the JJnited States of America 


DEC 27 192!' 



• * 

c c • 


PR ess or 

•RAUNWORTH & CO. 
BOOK MAMUFACTURERB 
BROOKLYN, N. Y. 


^C1.A653250 


■vi, I 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I A Birthday Gift i 

II Gardening ii 

III Shag Goes to Work 20 

IV A Homesick Toad 28 

V A New Way to Earn Money 34 

VI Flowers and Another Ride 43 

VII The Storm 51 

VIII Old Business— And New 58 

IX Betty Misbehaves 67 

X Shag Misbehaves 75 

XI Pie and Coffee 84 

XII Tom and Betty Go Nutting 91 

XIII A Hard Day's Work 99 

XIV Bittersweet 107 

XV The Pony iiS 

XVI A Trip in the Dixie Flyer 124 

XVII The Last of the Work 132 

XVIII Christmas * . . . I39 


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THE THRIFT TWINS 



THE THRIFT TWINS 

CHAPTER I 

A BIRTHDAY GIFT 

WONDER what we’re going to get for our 
birthday!” said Betty Thrift to her brother 
Tom as they sat down to breakfast on a 
bright morning in April. 

don’t know,” answered Tom, “but 
Father and Mother always give us some- 
thing we had never thought of, so I suspect 
we’ll be surprised.” 

Mr. and Mrs. Thrift exchanged a smile. 

“Maybe we’ll surprise you some time by 
giving you nothing at all,” began Mr. 
Thrift, “because children who are born on 
April first ought to expect to be fooled.” 

1 


2 


THE THEIFT TWINS 


^‘Didn’t you think it was a great 
April Fool joke when we were born?” asked 
Tom. 

‘‘Well,” admitted Mr. Thrift, “there 
have been times when you were both bad at 
once, when that idea has come into my mind, 
but in general it was the kind of joke that 
turns out well for all concerned.” 

“I’m through now with my breakfast,” 
remarked Betty as she pushed back her 
chair. 

“You haven’t eaten nearly enough, 
Betty,” objected her mother. “You will be 
hungry before lunch-time. You can not 
have your present until you eat some more 
oatmeal.” 

‘ ‘ Oatmeal, ’ ’ sighed Betty. ‘ ‘ Oatmeal ! 
when I’m thinking about what I’m going to 
get! Mother, if I was going to die, or get 
married, or anything, you’d make me eat 
another spoonful of oatmeal first!” 

Mr. Thrift laughed. “You’ll need it this 


A BIRTHDAY GIFT 


3 


time, Betty,’’ he said. ‘‘Eat it, as Mother 
says, and then I’ll take you and Tom out 
into the wood-shed ” 

‘ ‘ W ood-shed ! ’ ’ exclaimed Tom. ‘ ‘ What ’s 
that for?” 

“Isn’t it your birthday?” laughed Mr. 
Thrift. 

A few minutes later they all rose from 
the table and went into the wood-shed, Tom 
and Betty holding hands and feeling very 
excited and curious. Mrs. Thrift picked up 
a covered basket as they passed through the 
kitchen, and Tom and Betty exchanged a 
questioning glance. 

“What’s that for?” whispered Betty. 

Tom shook his head. “I’m no good at 
guessing,” he said. 

When they came to the wood-shed door, 
which was closed, they heard an odd scratch- 
ing and thumping, and a low whine. 

Tom’s eyes glistened. “Sounds like a 
dog!” he cried excitedly. 


4 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


'‘Maybe he’s cross and will bite!” and 
Betty drew back a little. 

"If that isn’t like a girl!” exclaimed 
Tom, taking tighter hold of her hand. 
"Hurry up, Father!” 

Mr. Thrift opened the door and they went 
in. The first thing they saw was a beautiful 
collie, his eyes eagerly fixed upon them. 

"Oh, what a nice old fellow!” cried Tom, 
throwing himself forward to pat the rough 
head of the dog. 

Betty hesitated, but only for a moment. 
Then she, too, dropped down on the saw- 
dust, and put both arms around the dog’s 
neck. 

"Wait a bit, children,” said Mrs. Thrift, 
opening her basket. "He’s hungry. I’ve 
been saving some bones for him. Let him 
eat some breakfast, and then you can play 
with him. Poor fellow! he’s homesick yet. 
Father brought him late last night after 
you two were in bed.” 


A BIRTHDAY GIFT 5 

The children stood aside and watched 
with interest while the dog ate. 

‘‘He doesn’t have to eat oatmeal!” said 
Betty, enviously. 

“What’s his name, Father?” asked Tom. 

“He hasn’t any, yet,” replied Mr. Thrift. 
“I got him over at Dean’s. They hadn’t 
taken the trouble to name him. He belongs 
to you and Betty now, and you had better 
name him at once. Then call him by his 
name when you feed him and he ^11 soon 
learn it.” 

Betty drew a long breath. “Let’s call 
him some perfectly beautiful name,” she 
suggested, “like oh. Daffodil — or some- 
thing like that!” 

Tom laughed. “That’s no name for a 
dog! Only a girl’d think of naming a dog 
after a flower!” 

“Well, what do you want to call him?” 
asked Betty. “I suppose you want to call 
him Fido, or or ” 


6 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


^‘Fido! for a nice big dog like this! I 
guess not! That’s a name for a little silky 
dog, isn’t it, Mother?” 

Mrs. Thrift laughed. ‘‘I don’t know,” 
she said, ‘‘but if you don’t like that kind of 
a name, think of one that will describe him 
in some way.” 

“What would you call him. Father?” 
asked Betty. 

Mr. Thrift shook his head. “He’s your 
dog, children; nobody helped Mother and 
me name you two. I got you the dog, that’s 
enough. Pick out a name to suit you both, 
though!” 

“Maybe we’d better give him a middle 
name, then!” suggested Betty, “because 
Tom and I don’t always agree on names!” 

“Oh, I forgot!” exclaimed Mrs. Thrift, 
suddenly. “Your dog will need a collar, 
and I made him one. After you’ve chosen 
a name for him you can print it on the 
collar.” 


A BIRTHDAY GIFT 


7 


She went into the house and brought out 
a collar of tan-colored leather, with a 
buckle. 

‘‘It’s pretty,” said Tom, handling it curi- 
ously, “but I don’t believe I know how to 
put the name on!” 

Mr. Thrift showed him a little brush and 
some black paint. 

“Print the letters first, and then paint 
them. Mother and I thought you children 
would like to finish the collar yourselves!” 

Tom’s eyes shone as he turned to Betty: 
“You can name him, Betty, then I’ll put the 
name on the collar!” 

“That’s a good idea, Tom!” said Mr. 
Thrift. 

Betty clapped her hands. “Tom, you’re 
a — well, you’re — a — favorite brother of 
mine!” and she began spinning dizzily 
around the wood-shed. 

“Sit down, Betty!” he exclaimed pres- 


8 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


ently. ‘‘Sit down somewhere and think of 
a name, so I can get this collar done. Then 
we can take our dog out for a walk. He’s 
nearly through with his breakfast.” 

“That’s a good plan,” said Mr. Thrift, 
“for he’s tired from being tied up so long. 
Now from this time on he belongs to you 
children. See to it that he gets his food and 
water regularly and that he gets plenty of 
exercise.” 

“Thank you, Father! and you too. 
Mother! You’ve given us the best birthday 
yet ! ’ ’ said Tom. And Betty chimed in with : 
“I’ll never forget the day when we were 
twelve ; will you, Tom ? ’ ’ 

Mr. and Mrs. Thrift went back into the 
house and Betty sat down on a log to think 
seriously of a name for the dog. “Let’s see 
— his eyes are brown, and his paws are 

large — ^he’s all rough and shaggy ” 

Her eyes lit up suddenly. “Tom!” she 
called excitedly. “Let’s call him Shagg! 




“Now let’s give him a run 




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A BIRTHDAY GIFT 9 

That’s new, and it isn’t a bit like a flower, 
or a silky dog, either!” 

Tom agreed instantly, and spreading the 
collar out upon his knee began painstak- 
ingly to print the letters. 

‘‘How are we going to spell it?” he in- 
quired after a while of Betty, who sat by 
the dog, patting him, and calling him by 
his new name. 

“Why S-h-a-g-g of course,” replied 
Betty. ‘ ‘ Just leave off the ‘ y ’ ! ” 

Tom bent over his work. “You spell 
‘dog’ with only one ‘g’,” he said presently. 
“I think one is enough for Shag!” 

“Well, all right,” said Betty. As she 
spoke she came and leaned over Tom’s 
shoulder. 

“Why, Tom Thrift!” she giggled. 
“You’ve made your S wrong way! It turns 
like this!” and she traced it with her finger. 

“Oh, it does not!” said Tom. “I guess I 
know how to print! That’s just like a girl! 


10 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


Anyhow,” he added triumphantly, ^‘Shag 
knows what it means. ” And he fastened the 
collar about the dog’s neck. ‘‘Now let’s 
give him a run ! ’ ’ And down through the yard 
and across the fields went Tom and Betty, 
Shag barking joyously at their heels. 


CHAPTER II 


GAKDENING 

One afternoon, about two weeks after the 
twins’ birthday, Mr. Thrift came home 
from town and called to the children to come 
and help him unload the wagon. Tom, 
Betty, and Shag came with a joyous whoop 
and a bark, from somewhere around the 
barn. Tom climbed upon the wheel and 
handed down to Betty some long-handled 
tools which she examined curiously. 

‘‘What are these for. Father?” she asked 
presently. 

“They are for you and Tom,” replied Mr. 
Thrift. “Mother and I have decided to 
turn the garden over to you and Tom this 
summer.” 


11 


12 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


what fun!” cried Betty. ‘‘Look, 
Tom, here are two spades, two hoes, and two 
cunning little rakes!” 

“Are we to have the whole garden. 
Father?” asked Tom, his eyes shining. 

“Yes, every bit of it. You can sell all you 
raise beyond what we need for the house, 
and put the money in the bank. After sup- 
per 111 explain the idea to you.” 

Tom and Betty divided up the tools and 
flew to the wood-shed to paint their names 
on the handles. 

“My name is too long,” sighed Betty. “I 
wonder if just ‘Bet’ wouldn’t do as well? 
I’ll put a period to show that it’s an 
abbreviation.” 

“Oh, here, Betty! I’U finish yours, 
you’re getting paint all over you !” and Tom 
finished the tools and leaned them up 
against the wall to dry. 

When the supper dishes were washed, 
Mr. Thrift showed the children two new 


GAEDENINa 13 

bank-books, with their names written on 
the covers. 

‘‘I have given you each five dollars as a 
nest-egg,” he explained, ^‘and now see how 
much you can add to that. If you each can 
earn fifty dollars by Christmas, III double 
that for you.” 

Fifty dollars!” gasped Betty. 

‘‘Fifty dollars!” echoed Tom. 

“Yes, fifty dollars!” said their father. 
“You can do it easily, if you will only 
try.” 

Tom and Betty ran with their books to 
their mother and asked her how to start a 
garden. 

“I want flowers,” began Betty, ‘‘pinks, 
and poppies, and dahlias, and ” 

“I want pop-corn and potatoes,” inter- 
rupted Tom, “and maybe a few watermelons 
and a gourd- vine ” 

“If I were you,” said their mother, “I 
would let Tom take the vegetables that re- 


14 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


quire heavy work, like potatoes, and both 
of you should have flower-borders around 
all your beds. They look pretty and don’t 
take up much space. Besides, maybe you 
can sell some of them.” 

‘‘All right, then,” agreed Tom, “I’ll plant 
some, but I want big jolly ones like sun- 
flowers.” 

“And I’ll take red-faced radishes, be- 
cause they look like little peony buds ” 

“And I’ll plant all the onions because 
Betty never will — ” 

“And I’ll plant beets because Tom 
doesn’t like them — ” 

“I’ll help you draw a plan for your gar- 
den,” said Mrs. Thrift; “that is the way to 
do. Then you are sure to have room for 
everything.” 

The children drew close to their mother 
and watched her as she divided up the paper 
which was to represent the garden, into lit- 
tle oblong beds, separated by paths, and 


GAEDENING 15 

wrote the name of a vegetable on each, with 
the date when it might be started. 

‘‘You can put in lettuce, radishes, and 
onions to-morrow,” she explained, “but the 
ground isn’t warm enough yet for flowers.” 

Tom and Betty were so excited they could 
scarcely sleep that night, and early the next 
morning they were at work. It was great 
fun spading up the freshly plowed earth, 
then breaking up the clods with the hoes, 
and smoothing the bed with the rake. Tom 
did most of the spading, and Betty did all 
of the raking. “I’m making up the beds 
for the babies,” she explained, “and they 
must be nice and soft!” 

Then they began planting. The little 
brown radish seeds went into shallow fur- 
rows which they had made with a yard- 
stick, and were put about three inches apart. 
The lettuce seed they scattered broadcast. 
The onions were placed in straight rows, 
with several inches between. 


16 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


‘^Now let’s cover them up!” cried Betty, 
and with their hands they gently smoothed 
the lettuce and radish beds. 

‘H’ve already tucked the onions in!” said 
Tom. ‘‘They’re strong enough to kick the 
covers off!” 

For the next few days Tom and Betty did 
little else except run out into the garden to 
see if something was coming up yet ! 

“You watch too closely, children,” said 
Mrs. Thrift. “Don’t you know a watched 
pot never boils?” 

“I never cared much whether a pot boiled 
or not!” said Betty, “but I get nervous 
about these radishes. I’m afraid I didn’t 
plant them right, or something!” 

“I saw you put in some of them up side 
down,” said Tom. 

“It looks a little like rain,” said their 
mother, “and a good shower would bring 
them up, I’m sure. Lettuce is slower than 
radishes, and you will have to be patient. 


GAEDENING 


17 


But if it rains, and then gets warmer, you 
can plant some tomatoes, and cabbage, and 
you won’t have to wait for them to come 
up.” 

Anxiously the children watched for a 
rain, and one afternoon, while they were 
still in school, a brisk shower came. As 
soon as they reached home they started 
eagerly for the garden, but Mrs. Thrift 
stopped them. 

^‘Your paths are still soft, children,” she 
said, ^‘wait now till morning when it will be 
drier.’’ 

Next morning, although they had not 
planned it, both Tom and Betty started for 
the garden just as the sun was rising. 

^‘Tom,” said Betty solemnly, ‘‘I am go- 
ing to shut my eyes tight and you lead me 
up to my radish bed. If those seeds aren’t 
up yet, you must break it to me gently, or I 
don’t know what will happen!” 

Tom led his sister carefully along the 


18 


THE THEIET TWINS 


path, his own eyes eagerly searching. Sud- 
denly he shouted at the top of his lungs : 

‘‘Look! look! Betty! They’re up! they’re 
up!” 

Betty opened her eyes and at once 
dropped down on her knees in the damp 
path, and began to count the little “clovers” 
as she called them. 

“See how they reach up their two little 
hands toward the sunshine!” she cried. 

Madly the twins rushed hack to the house, 
to find their mother just lighting the fire. 

“They’re up! they’re up! they’re up!” 
they shouted, jumping wildly around her. 

“I see they are,” said Mrs. Thrift, “both 
of them! Did you children stay awake all 
night?” 

“Not quite,” confessed Betty, “but I 
dreamt about the garden!” 

“Mother, come out and see them!” begged 
Tom. 

“I’m afraid Father is never going to get 


GAEDENING 


19 


any breakfast this morning/’ said Mrs. 
Thrift, but she followed the children out 
into the garden. 

^‘They look fine,” she said. ‘‘After the 
sun has dried the ground a little more, you 
can very gently soften the earth, being care- 
ful not to come too close to their little roots. 
It is easy to kill them while they are so 
small.” 

“Tom,” said Betty reprovingly, “you 
said I planted these seeds up side down. 
What have you to say now?” 

“They turned over during the night,” re- 
plied Tom. “Just look at my onions! Did 
you ever see anything so pretty?” 


CHAPTER III 


SHAG GOES TO WOKK; 

Tom and Betty were out in their garden, 
sitting on the bench which Tom had made 
out of old boards. It was certainly not much 
to look at, but it furnished them a good 
resting-place when they were tired from 
hoeing or weeding. 

Everything was looking fine now; the 
radishes and onions were big enough to eat, 
and there were plants of all kinds coming 
on. Even some of the early flowers were 
peeping out here and there in the borders. 

‘‘Tom, I think we ought to begin selling 
something!” said Betty. “We will soon 
have early peas and beans, and there are 
lots more radishes and onions than we can 
use.” 


20 


SHAG GOES TO WOEK 


21 


‘^The trouble is/’ began Tom, every one 
around here bas a garden. Who would buy 
of us?” 

‘‘We could sell over in Milton,” suggested 
Betty. 

“Yes, but bow can we get there! Father 
hasn’t time to take us, and he doesn’t want 
me to drive Firefly!” 

Betty sighed, “If we only had wings !” 

“Or a pony-cart!” 

“Or even a dog-cart!” 

“Well, we have a dog ” 

“And a little wagon Why, Tom 

Thrift! Let’s train Shag to pull our 
wagon!” 

“Betty, you certainly do have some bright 
ideas, at least for a girl ! Let ’s go ask Father 
what he thinks about it!” 

Mr. Thrift found no reason why Shag 
should not learn to draw the wagon, and 
advised them to train him just before meal- 
time, and then when he got the idea that 


22 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


work was always followed by food, he would 
be more willing. 

That very afternoon Tom and Betty be- 
gan Shag’s training. Mr. Thrift helped 
them put shafts on their wagon, and fixed a 
simple set of harness for the dog. 

At first. Shag thought it was all for fun, 
but when he found that he was really tied 
fast to a heavy wagon which wanted to go 
every place he did, he tried to lie down on 
the shafts. When he found he could not do 
this, he shook himself until it seemed as if 
the wagon must fly to pieces; then he sat 
down and would not stir. 

After a great deal of petting and coaxing, 
the twins got Shag in a good humor again. 
After he had consented to pull the wagon 
once clear around the house, they unhar- 
nessed him and gave him a big bone with 
meat on it. 

Every afternoon, as soon as Tom and 
Betty could get home from school, they 


SHAG GOBS TO WORK 


23 


trained Shag, and it was not long until he 
learned that his harness meant a short 
period of work, followed by something to 
eat! He began to like to be hitched up to 
the wagon. Then the twins began grad- 
ually to put loads in the wagon, and Shag 
soon trotted along as steadily as any old 
market horse. 

Let’s go to Milton next Saturday,” sug- 
gested Betty. 

‘ H ’m willing, ’ ’ said Tom. ^ H ’d like to put 
some more money in the bank. We must 
not lose any more time getting started on 
that fifty dollars!” 

The next Saturday morning the twins cut 
several basketfuls of fresh vegetables — the 
peas and beans were now ready — and started 
to Milton. Shag behaved splendidly. Not 
once did he try to lie down, or to shake 
himself. 

As they came into the outskirts of Milton 
Betty looked around and suggested : ‘ ‘ Let ’s 


24 


THE THEIFT TWINS 


go to houses where there ’re lots of children, 
Tom. Children are always hungry!” 

So they started down a noisy street where 
there were children playing ever5rwhere. 
Sure enough, they sold something at almost 
every house. It was not long until every- 
thing was gone except three bunches of 
onions. 

‘‘We’d better start back home now,” said 
Tom. “Mother said we should bring back 
whatever we couldn’t sell.” 

“Oh, I want to sell it all this first trip!” 
cried Betty. “I’m going to try this big 
fine place. See! There’s a man out there 
on the porch and I’m going to ask him!” 
Before Tom could say a word she seized the 
onions and sped up the path. 

The man turned, rather crossly, and for 
a moment Betty’s heart failed her. Then 
she smiled up in his face and asked : ‘ ‘ Don ’t 
you want some nice fresh onions ? Tom and 
I raised them in our garden.” 


SHAG GOES TO WORK 25 

Where is your garden?’’ snapped the 
man. ‘‘Who are you, anyway?” 

“We are Tom and Betty Thrift, and we 
live out on the South River Road.” 

“Oh, I see! You must be Tom Thrift’s 
children?” 

“Yes, sir.” 

“He deals at my bank. I know him well ! 
So you have a garden!” 

“Yes, sir, and a bank-account!” 

The man laughed suddenly. “Good! I’ll 
take your onions, and you may stop here 
every time you come to town. I’ll tell my 
housekeeper to buy from you. I’m glad to 
see that you know how to work and to save ! 
Most people don’t!” 

Betty thanked him and ran back to join 
Tom. They hurried now for it was almost 
supper-time. Shag fairly flew, for he 
knew he had been a very good dog, and he 
was expecting something nice for supper. 

Before the twins sat down at the table 


26 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


they gave Shag a big plate full of chicken 
bones that they had been saving for several 
days. They wanted him to like his trips to 
town I Then they began to tell all that had 
happened on their trip, and Betty wound up 
the long story with an account of the man 
who had bought the last of their wagon- 
load. ‘‘He said he knew you, Father. He 
has a bank, and he lives in a big brick 
house ” 

“Mr. Holgrove?” demanded their father, 
in surprise. “Did you sell him anything?” 

“Yes, and he said to come back there 
every time we came to town!” 

“Well, well, well!” 

As the twins left the table they over- 
heard a bit of conversation between their 
father and mother. 

“To think of Betty asking that old miser 
Holgrove to buy a bunch of onions!” 
laughed Mr. Thrift. 

“Every one has a soft spot in his heart 


SHAG GOES TO WORK 


27 


where children are concerned, didn’t you 
know that, Tom?” said Mrs. Thrift. ‘‘A 
little child can sell anything.” 

‘‘I wonder what they meant by that?” 
asked Betty curiously, of Tom. ‘‘Father 
seemed to think that it was strange that 
Mr. Holgrove bought of us. Why, I like 
him, and I wasn’t a bit afraid to ask him to 
buy those onions. I believe he’s fond of 
them!” 

“Maybe Mr. Holgrove thinks we’ll own 
his bank some day !” was Tom’s explanation. 


CHAPTER IV 


A HOMESICK TOAD 

Betty and Tom were picking off tke 
cucumber beetles which were destroying 
their young plants. They were having quite 
a time, for the beetles flew away, and then 
came back again. Suddenly a voice came 
to them, out of the air, as it seemed. 

‘^Do you children know that a toad is 
worth five dollars to a gardener?” 

The twins looked up in surprise, and saw 
old Mr. Hawkins leaning over the fence, 
watching them. 

‘‘No, sir, we didn’t,” said Tom, rising 
hastily and taking off his hat. 

“Well, it’s so,” said the old man. 
“Where’s your father, Tom?” 

28 


A HOMESICK TOAD 29 

‘‘He’s down in the orchard, Mr. Haw- 
kins.” And Tom pointed out the way. 

When the old man had passed by the gar- 
den, the children went back to their 
cucumbers. 

“Is that true what Mr. Hawkins said 
about toads?” asked Betty. 

“I never heard it before, but it must be 
true, or Mr. Hawkins wouldn’t have said 
it,” answered Tom. 

“Then we must get a toad,” decided 
Betty. ‘ ‘ I wonder where we can find one ? ’ ’ 

“I saw one yesterday down in the barn- 
yard under that old pile of rails,” said 
Tom. 

“Let’s go get it,” cried Betty, brushing 
the dust from her dress and putting on her 
sunbonnet. “What’ll we fetch it in? I 
don’t want to carry it in my hands! I’m 
not exactly afraid of them, but I don’t ex- 
actly like them!” 

“I’ll get an old tin can to carry him in,” 


30 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


said Tom, ^^and I’ll do the handling of Mr. 
Toad, all by myself I” 

Hand-in-hand they went down into the 
barn-lot and Tom carefully lifted the rails. 
There, sure enough, blinking at the sunlight, 
sat a fat, brown toad. 

‘‘He looks like he was mashed!” exclaimed 
Betty, drawing back. 

“Oh, he’s all right. Toads always look 
like that. Hold the can, Betty, and I’ll soon 
have him!” 

But when Tom reached down to get the 
toad, his fingers closed upon a clod of brown 
earth, for the toad had hopped under 
another rail. 

“Oh, dear!” cried Betty, but Tom was 
already lifting the rail. There was Mr. 
Toad, flatter than ever, blinking as before. 

“Now, Tom!” called Betty, anxiously, and 
Tom made a quick dive for the toad, and had 
him in his hand, but finding him unexpect- 
edly cold, let him drop again. 


A HOMESICK TOAD 


31 


^‘He’s like ice!’’ he cried in surprise. 

‘‘He’s scared, poor toad!” said Betty. 
“It’s a pity to frighten him so, hut if he’s 
really worth five dollars to our garden, we 
simply must have him!” 

After quite a long time, Tom finally got 
the toad into the can, and they started back 
to the garden. 

“Where shall we put him?” asked Tom. 

“Over here under these rhubarb leaves 
where it is nice and cool. Wait! I’ll fix a 
place for him to sit.” And Betty broke 
off a large leaf and spread it out on the 
ground. 

Tom put the toad on it. 

“Now let’s get him some flies,” said 
Betty. “We must keep him satisfied and 
contented here.” And she flew off to the 
sunny screen-door of the kitchen porch, 
where, as Tom put it, “there was always a 
fly or so, waiting for the next train.” With 
some trouble she caught a large blue-bottle^ 


32 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


and keeping him carefully inside her closed 
fingers, she brought her hand up close to 
the toad and let the fly go. 

The toad seemed to make no motion, but 
the fly disappeared. 

‘‘However did he do that?” asked Betty. 
“Go get him another one, Tom!” 

So the twins took turns in watching the 
toad, and in bringing him flies. At last, 
though, the toad ceased to pay any attention 
to them, but sat with his eyes closed. 

“What’s the matter with him?” asked 
Betty anxiously. 

“I think he’s full,” said Tom. “I acted 
just like that last Sunday, after dinner.” 

“Maybe he’s homesick,” suggested Betty. 

“Well, I don’t care if he is,” declared 
Tom. “I don’t intend to work this hard 
every day to keep him contented!” 

Just then the twins heard footsteps, and 
looking up they saw Mr. Hawkins passing 
by the garden, on his way home. 


A HOMESICK TOAD 33 

‘^Mr. Hawkins!’^ called out Tom. ^^How 
does a toad bring a gardener five dollars?” 

<< Why, I saw you two were having trouble 
with cucumber beetles. A toad would help 
you. They come out at night and eat quan- 
tities of insects and bugs.” 

Don’t you have to feed them, or any- 
thing?” asked Tom. 

Mr. Hawkins laughed. ‘‘Oh, dear, no! 
They’ll feed themselves; that’s why they’re 
a good thing in a garden.” 

When Mr. Hawkins had passed on, Tom 
and Betty went back to the toad. He had 
hopped into the shadow, and was flatter 
and stupider than ever. 

“And to think how we’ve fed him!” 
sighed Betty. 

“He’ll not bring us more than four dol- 
lars and ninety-five cents now,” said Tom. 
“He looks as if he wouldn’t get hungry 
again for at least a week ! ” 


CHAPTER V 


A NEW WAY TO EAKN MONEY 

The first day that Tom and Betty, clasp- 
ing tightly their new bank-books, walked 
into the Farmers’ Bank, they looked around 
hoping to see Mr. Holgrove, but unfortu- 
nately he was not in just then. There were 
so many windows with men standing be- 
hind them that it seemed very confusing. 

‘‘I wonder where we go*?” whispered 
Betty. wish Father had come along!” 

‘‘I’ll find out,” said Tom, and he stepped 
up to a window which said: “Paying.” 

“Is this where we deposit money on our 
savings account?” he asked, taking off his 
hat. 

The man at the window smiled pleasantly 
34 


A NEW WAY TO EAEN MONEY 35 


and said, ‘^No, take it to the window over 
there, marked ‘Eeceiving.’ ” 

Tom and Betty went to the window which 
was pointed out to them, and handed in 
their books and a pile of dimes and nickels, 
u There’s two dollars and ten cents apiece!” 
Tom explained. 

The clerk smiled, counted the money, put 
some figures in each of their books, and 
handed them back. 

Tom and Betty thanked him, and seeing 
a bench near, sat down to look at their books. 

‘‘Doesn’t that look fine?” exclaimed 
Betty. “Just think! I have only forty-two 
dollars and ninety cents to get in before 
Christmas!” 

“Do you remember that story, Betty, 
about a girl that counted her chickens be- 
fore they were hatched?” 

“Yes,” admitted Betty, “but I haven’t 
a basket of eggs on my head, have I?” 

As the twins rose to go Mr. Holgrove 


36 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


came into the bank. He stopped when he 
saw the children and asked to see their 
books. ‘‘That’s fine! that’s fine!” he said, 
and then added after a moment: “How 
does it happen that you each have the same 
amount?” 

The twins looked surprised. “Why, we 
always divide evenly,” Tom said. “I 
wouldnU feel right unless Betty had the 
same.” 

“And I wouldn’t take any pay at all if I 
couldn’t give Tom half!” cried Betty. 

“Do you ever earn any money cutting 
lawns?” asked Mr. Holgrove. “Mine needs 
cutting badly and the man who has been 
doing it tramples my flowers and does such 
poor work that I have dismissed him. Do 
you think you could do it for a dollar?” 

“Yes, sir,” replied Tom eagerly. “But 
we’d have to go home first and ask 
Father.” 

“I’ll tell you what I’ll do,” said Mr. Hoi- 


A NEW WAY TO EARN MONEY 37 


grove. car is outside. I’ll take you 

out to your home, you can ask your father, 
then I’ll bring you back again. You know 
how to do it, don’t you?” 

^‘Yes, sir, Betty and I cut the grass at 
home. I run the lawn-mower, and she trims 
around the paths and flower-beds.” 

‘‘Very well, then, come out here and tum- 
ble into the car!” 

“But what will we do with Shag?” 

“Who’s he?” 

“Our dog.” 

“We’ll put him and the wagon both 
into the car. Bogs love to ride in automo- 
biles!” 

As the twins seated themselves on the 
beautiful cushion, in the back of the car, for 
they were feeling too nervous about Shag’s 
behavior to trust him alone, they looked 
back at the bank and saw that all the clerks 
were staring from the window. 

Mr. Holgrove pushed some buttons and 


38 


THE THEIFT TWINS 


the car floated along as if through air. 
‘^You’ll have to tell me when we come to 
your place,” he said. 

‘‘Here we are! Here we are!” shouted 
both the twins, and Mr. Holgrove turned 
the car into the lane. 

Eagerly they took Mr. Holgrove into 
their garden, showing him their vegetables, 
their flowers, even their toad. Mr. Hol- 
grove laughed heartily when they told him 
they had fed the toad when they first 
brought him into the garden. “Just how 
did you think he was going to bring you five 
dollars?” he asked. 

“I guess we thought he’d just bring us 
good luck by being here, ’ ’ said Tom. “ We ’d 
been reading about a mascot that some sol- 
diers had!” 

Just then Mr. and Mrs. Thrift came out 
of the house and invited Mr. Holgrove to 
come in. He explained his errand and as 
neither Mr. nor Mrs. Thrift saw any reason 


A NEW WAY TO EARN MONEY 39 


why the twins shouldn’t cut the lawn for 
him, he soon had them packed into his car, 
Tom with his overalls, and Betty with her 
big work apron. 

‘‘I’ll bring them back right after supper,” 
Mr. Holgrove said, “they’ll be tired after 
working so hard.” 

Tom and Betty waved good-by to their 
father and mother, and away they went. 
Mr. Holgrove left them at his house, telling 
Mrs. Burke to show them where the lawn- 
mower was kept, and then he hurried 
away, calling back to Mrs. Burke to be sure 
to have something nice for the children’s 
supper. 

“Well, I declare!” exclaimed Mrk Burke. 
“I can’t remember when that man has had 
any children here!” 

Tom and Betty worked hard all after- 
noon. Tom cut as carefully as he could, and . 
Betty trimmed very neatly. Then they 
asked for some brooms and swept all the 


40 


THE THEIFT TWINS 


paths. Just as they finished they saw Mr. 
Holgrove drive up. 

‘^Well, that’s the best job I’ve had done 
this summer!” he said. 

Betty and Tom tried not to look too 
pleased. 

‘‘Now let’s see what there is for supper!” 
said Mr. Holgrove. ‘ ‘ Come on in ! ” 

“But we are so dirty — ” began Betty. 

“Never mind that. Mrs. Burke will help 
you clean up.” 

After the twins had washed their hands 
and faces they sat down to supper at a table 
in a glass porch, as it seemed to them, and 
had everything that they liked, including 
some ice-cream. 

As soon as they were through eating, Mr. 
Holgrove took them home. Als they stepped 
from the car he slipped a dollar into each 
twin’s hand. “You can cut my lawn all the 
rest of the summer,” he said. “I like to see 
children who know how to work. I earned 



Tom cut as carefully as he could, and Betty trimmed very 

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A NEW WAY TO EARN MONEY 41 


every cent I have in this world, and I like 
people who aren’t afraid of honest sweat!” 

‘‘What’s ‘honest sweat,’ Betty?” asked 
Tom when Mr. Holgrove had gone. 

“I guess it’s the kind that comes with 
blisters,” said Betty, showing him the in- 
sides of her hands. 

“Betty Thrift! Why didn’t you tell me 
your hands were blistered?” 

“I don’t want any one to know it, Tom. 
I’m afraid they won’t let me go again. You 
won’t say anything about it, will you, 
Tom?” 

Tom didn’t say what he would do, but 
after while he went out into the kitchen 
where his mother was and asked: “Mother, 
what’s good for blistered hands?” 

‘ ‘ Why ? ’ ’ asked Mrs. Thrift. ‘ ‘ Are yours 
blistered?” 

“No,” answered Tom. “But if they 
were, what could I do about them?” 

“Don’t worry,” said Mrs. Thrift, “if 


42 THE THRIFT TWINS 

they ever get sore I know how to cure 
them!” 

A moment later Tom came back into the 
kitchen pulling Betty along with him. 
‘‘Here, Mother!” he called out, “here’s a 
patient for you!” 

Mrs. Thrift drained the blisters with a 
long needle and then covered them with 
strips of court-plaster. “They’ll be all 
right in a day or two,” she said, “but the 
next time I will give you a pair of heavy 
gloves to wear.” 

“Now then, Betty,” said Tom reprov- 
ingly, “don’t you see how much better it is 
to own right up to things? Don’t you feel 
better now?” 

“Well,” explained Betty, “I didn’t want 
to lose my job. I’ve got to get forty-one 
dollars and ninety cents before Christmas! 
Say, Tom, don’t you suppose Mr. Holgrove 
would call these ‘honest blisters’?” 


CHAPTEE VI 


FLOWEES AND ANOTHER EDDE 

Tom and Betty were cutting some of the 
flowers which were blooming all over the 
garden. On the wire fence hung festoons 
of sweetpeas, of all colors; there were nas- 
turtiums, red, red-gold, and lemon; and in 
a long stately row were Tom’s sunflowers. 
The garden was a riot of color. 

Carefully they cut the stems, and placed 
each kind of flower in a separate paste- 
board box; they put half the blossoms at 
each end of the box, so that they would not 
be crushed; then they sprinkled them, and 
covered them over with waxed paper. When 
all the boxes were packed they loaded them 
in their wagon, shading them from the sun 
with branches. 


43 


44 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


When they reached Milton they went 
first to Mr. Holgrove’s house as he had told 
them to, where Mrs. Burke bought a box of 
sweetpeas. She told them to go direct to 
the Fairy-land Tea Room, on Main Street, 
with the rest. ‘^Tell Miss Bertelle that Mr. 
Holgrove sent you,” she said. 

Tom and Betty were quite surprised to 
find that Miss Bertelle was pretty and quite 
young; they had thought of her as being a 
dignified old lady, like Mrs. Burke. 

‘^Good morning, children,” she began, 
‘‘what can I do for you?” 

“Mr. Holgrove sent us,” explained Tom. 
“We have some flowers to sell.” 

Miss Bertelle was delighted with the 
flowers and bought six of the boxes. “I’ll 
buy regularly twice a week,” she said, “if 
you will always cut them with long stems, 
and get them here in such good condition.” 

Then to Betty delight she allowed her 
to help place the flowers in six brass bowls. 


ANOTHER RIDE 


45 


one for each of her six tables. One table 
was bright with sweetpeas, another with 
marigolds, a third with zinnias, a fourth 
with nasturtiums, a fifth with sunflowers, 
and the sixth with scarlet geraniums. 

^‘It really looks like a flower-shop in 
Fairy-land!” exclaimed Betty, ‘‘and you 
look like the queen of them all. Miss 
Bertelle!” 

“Well, that’s certainly a nice compliment, 
Betty ! Sit down here, both of you, and try 
some of my tea!” 

Tom and Betty drank some delicious tea 
from quaint little china cups, and had some 
crackers with it. 

“If I was grown-up, and lived in town 
I’d never eat anywhere but here!” cried 
Betty. 

Miss Bertelle sighed. “I’m just begin- 
ning,” she said. “Mr. Holgrove told me to 
make it pleasing to the eye and then he said 
people would come. I only hope he ’s right ! ’ ’ 


46 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


‘‘Mr. Holgrove’s always right!” said Tom. 

As the children came out of the tea-room 
they found Shag looking very cross. His 
whole manner said very plainly that he 
thought they had stayed altogether too long ! 

“Never mind, Shag,” consoled Betty, 
“here is a cracker I saved for you!” And 
Shag condescended to eat it and forgive 
them. 

The twins sold what flowers were left to 
a restaurant-keeper, big, fat, and jovial. 

“I don’t like to leave flowers in there!” 
said Betty. “It smells too much like hash !” 

“But just think, Betty, people who have • 
to eat there ought to have something nice to 
look at, and to smell. I’d want a big nose- 
gay on the table if I had to eat hash !” 

Counting their money they found they 
had enough for each to put a dollar in the 
bank, so they went there next. 

“Well, how’s business?” asked Mr. 
Holgrove. 


ANOTHER RIDE 47 

‘‘Fine ! ” answered the twins in one breath. 
“We’ve sold all our flowers.” 

“Did Miss Bertelle buy some?’^ 

“Six boxes!” 

“I thought she would,” he said. “She’ll 
find it will pay. What do you two think 
about a little ride this afternoon? If I 
should come around to your place about five 
o’clock do you think your father and mother 
would let you go ?” 

“Oh, yes!” cried Tom and Betty together. 

“All right, then, you be ready and after 
our ride we’ll take tea at Miss Bertelle ’s. 
I want to see how the flowers look.” 

Tom and Betty ran nearly all the way 
home, they were so excited about the ride. 
Mrs. Thrift said she was glad they were to 
have such a nice time and let them put on 
their Sunday clothes. Then they sat on the 
porch and watched every passing car. 

“That looks like Mr. Holgrove’s dust!” 
cried Betty, and sure enough it was he. 


48 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


Mrs. Thrift came out to speak to him and 
thank him for giving the children such a 
pleasure. 

^^Kind?’’ he repeated. “It’s just plain 
business, Mrs. Thrift. These children are 
customers of mine!” 

Breathlessly the twins climbed into the 
car, and away they went. 

“I’m going to show you the house where 
I was born,” explained Mr. Holgrove. He 
turned into a quiet country lane and pulled 
up, in front of a whitewashed cottage 
almost hidden behind an immense lilac 
bush. 

“There’s a fine spring here,” he said. 
“Let’s get out and try some of it.” 

The spring was full of water-cress and 
they gathered some to take to Miss Bertelle. 
“It makes a fine salad,” said Mr. Holgrove. 
“You two might sell it. And another thing, 
in the fall this old fence back here is covered 
with bittersweet. That would sell well, too. 


ANOTHER RIDE 


49 


You can make bouquets of it when your 
flowers are gone.’’ 

‘‘Doesn’t any one live in this little house ?” 
asked Tom. 

“Not now. The fields are rented, but no 
one wants such an old house. It is almost 
in pieces, but I hate to have it torn down. I 
come here often when I am out riding.” 

“It would be a grand place for a picnic,” 
said Betty. 

“Any time you and Tom want to use it 
for that you can, ’ ’ said Mr. Holgrove. ‘ ‘ But 
now let’s see about some tea.” 

Miss Bertelle was very glad to see them, 
and told Tom and Betty that every one who 
had been in the shop that day had spoken 
about the beautiful flowers. 

“I told you, young woman, that people 
like to see things that remind them of when 
they were children. Now, out in my car is 
some water-cress. I am going to bring it in 
to you, and the first homesick looking old 


50 


THE THEIFT TWINS 


man you see, just put a plateful of salad be- 
fore him. After that, you won’t be able to 
drive Mm away!” 

That night Tom and Betty sat out on the 
porch talking. 

‘‘Do you know what I want you to do 
when you grow up, Tom?” asked Betty. 

“ No, ” replied Tom. ‘ ‘ What ? ’ ’ 

“I want you to be a man like Mr. 
Holgrove.” 

“All right,” agreed Tom, “and I’ll have 
a bank and an automobile, and you can have 
a tea-room, and every day we’ll have a ride 
out to the country!” 

“Yes,” said Betty, “a ride out to Lilac 
Cottage. Then we’ll stop at my tea-room 
and I’ll give you water-cress sandwiches, 
and little pickles!” 


CHAPTER VII 


THE STOKM 

It was one Sunday, early in August, and 
the twins were sitting under the apple-tree 
in their garden. They had just come home 
from church and it was so warm in the house 
that they had come out here to cool off ; but 
it was warm here, too. 

wish I was a toad and I’d crawl under 
the rhubarb leaves!” cried Betty, fanning 
herself with her sunbonnet. ^^Tom, do you 
realize that weVe nearly half our money in 
the bank now?” she added presently. 

‘‘Yes,” replied Tom, ‘‘but when school 
begins it won’t be so easy!” 

“Ho, but I’ve thought of a plan for mak- 
ing money when cold weather comes ” 

51 


52 


THE THEIET TWINS 


‘^Cold weather!’^ interrupted Tom. 
wish I had a snowball to eat this minute — 
but go on, Betty, what is your plan?” 

‘‘I’m going to ask Mother to teach me how 
to bake little pies, and then we can sell them 
down at the depot in MUton.” 

“That’s a good idea, and maybe I could 
sell coffee. I know I could learn how to 
make that.’’ 

“Hot coffee would be fine in cold weather 
— but, oh, dear, isn’t it warm now?” sighed 
Betty. “I feel like a biscuit just out of the 
oven!” 

“It is hot!” agreed Tom, throwing down 
his book. “I just simply can’t read. I get 
the fidgets!” 

Just then Shag came into the garden, and 
lay down, panting. 

“You’re warm, too, aren’t you. Shag?” 
asked Tom sympathetically. 

“Tom, we’ll have to sprinkle our flowers 


THE STOEM 53 

to-night, after the sun goes down. Just see 
how they droop!” 

‘‘I know it,” said Tom listlessly, ^^but 
maybe it will rain before then. Listen! 
That sounds like thunder, now.” 

Sure enough, it was the muttering of an 
approaching storm. Far down along the 
horizon they could see a low, heavy, sullen- 
looking cloud, mounting slowly. For a long 
time they watched it, hoping that it would 
soon rain and cool the air. Suddenly a whit- 
ish roll formed along the top of the cloud, 
and a sudden gust of wind whirled the dust 
from the paths into their eyes. A great 
shower of flower petals came eddying 
through the air. 

‘^Come in, children!” called Mrs. Thrift 
from the porch-door. ‘‘Hurry and help me 
close the windows ! I’m afraid we are going 
to have a bad storm.” 

As Betty ran into her little bedroom she 
found the white curtains billowing outward 


54 


THE THEIFT TWINS 


like sails, and she had scarcely lowered the 
windows when a great dash of hail came 
against them. 

It was a genuine storm. After the hail, 
the rain came, heavy and pitiless, driven by 
the wind. The children pressed their faces 
against the window-panes, watching their 
garden. The paths were soon little torrents, 
and occasionally they could see a bean-pole 
give way under the strong wind. Betty 
could not keep back the tears when she saw 
her beloved flowers beaten and buffeted, 
finally laid low in a sea of mud. ‘‘Won’t it 
ever stop. Mother?” she wailed. 

“Don’t watch any longer, children,” re- 
plied Mrs. Thrift. “Come away from the 
window. See! I am going to light the 
lamp.” 

The twins came and sat by the table, try- 
ing to look at their books, but every few 
minutes they would run back to the window 
to look at their garden. 


THE STORM 


55 


Shag had come into the house and crawled 
under the sofa ; when it thundered he whined 
miserably. They could not coax him to come 
out. 

Mr. Thrift moved around the room 
restlessly. 

^M’m afraid for my corn,” he said in a 
low voice to Mrs. Thrift. ^Mt’s heavy now, 
and if it falls ” 

Never mind,” she replied quietly, 
‘things are rarely as bad as we fear, and 
even if we lose all the corn, we’ll manage to 
get along somehow. I’m sorry about the 
children’s garden, though,” she added, in a 
lower tone. 

Mr. Thrift, smiling, walked over to the 
twins. ‘‘Well, little farmers,” he said, “all 
this water certainly ought to lay the dust in 
your garden! You were complaining about 
it this morning!” 

“Yes,” agreed Tom, “and it won’t hurt 
our toad!” 


56 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


Betty laughed through her tears. 

^‘Look closely around her nose, Tom, and 
see if there isn’t a rainbow!” suggested Mr. 
Thrift. ‘^When the sun shines through a 
shower there’s always a rainbow some- 
where.” 

Then Betty laughed outright. ^‘You do 
say the funniest things. Father!” 

The storm continued a long while, then 
stopped as suddenly as it had begun. But 
what a waste it left behind! The garden 
was a muddy tangle of bean-poles and corn ; 
plants were broken off ; many of the flow- 
ers were dashed to pieces, their petals strewn 
eYeTjwlnere ; the paths had disappeared, and 
deep gullies were worn where the water had 
poured in rivulets. 

The children could not bear to look at it, 
and went to bed soon after supper. ‘ ‘ Every- 
thing will look more hopeful in the morn- 
ing,” was their mother’s promise. 

The sun was shining brightly, the air was 


THE STORM 


57 


clear and sparkling, when Betty and Tom 
came down-stairs. They ran at once out to 
the garden, and looked over the gate at a 
scene of ruin. 

Betty tried hard to be brave, but presently 
the tears began to roll down her cheeks. 

Tom turned suddenly and rushed off to- 
ward the house. 

‘‘Where are you going, Tom?’’ called 
Betty. 

“To put on my overalls!” was his reply. 


CHAPTER VIII 


OLD BUSINESS — AND NEW 

Betty wiped the tears from her cheeks, 
and hastened to put on her work-apron. If 
Tom was brave enough to start over again, 
so was she! Before breakfast, even, they 
had lifted the bean-poles, untangled the 
bean-vines, and straightened some of the 
corn. Their hearts grew lighter as they 
worked, for they found that much of their 
garden was left, after all. 

As the twins sat down to breakfast, their 
father looked them over approvingly. ^ ‘ You 
twins are getting better looking every day,” 
he observed. 

‘‘Yes,” cried Betty, look like a ripe 
tomato, and Tom like a — a — ” 

— a tiger-lily!” supplied Tom, 

58 


OLD BUSINESS— AND NEW 59 


^^Tou suit me,” said their father. ‘‘I 
wouldn’t have any use for pink-and- white 
children.” 

‘‘Well, don’t you worry. Father,” con- 
soled Betty. “I intend to get redder and 
browner until you can’t tell me from an In- 
dian. Then I won’t have to wear a sunbon- 
net any more.” 

The twins worked all day in their garden, 
in fact, nearly all week. They washed the 
mud from their potatoes and cabbages and 
found that they were not damaged ; they had 
withstood the hail. But some beds they had 
to spade up again. Then they hoed every- 
thing, and after cleaning the paths, graveled 
them. The garden was almost as good as 
new. 

“What shall we do, Betty, about flowers 
this week?” asked Tom. “We mustn’t dis- 
appoint Miss Bertelle.” 

“We’d have enough if we had some ferns 
to go with them ” 


60 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


^^Well, that’s easy enough,” said Tom, 
^‘you know there’s lots of them down in the 
gorge along Walnut Creek.” 

Let’s go there right away,” counseled 
Betty, ‘Hhen we can go to town this after- 
noon.” 

Walnut Creek was a swift little stream 
which cut its way deeply among the lime- 
stone rocks, leaving steep cliffs whose sides 
were covered with moss and ferns. It was a 
beautiful place and the children loved to go 
there. They had no difficulty in getting a 
basketful of ferns, and these, with the flow- 
ers from their garden which had survived 
the storm enabled them to fill the order of 
Miss Bertelle. 

Miss Bertelle was delighted with the ferns. 
‘‘They give such a woodsy flavor to the 
shop!” she declared. 

After leaving the tea-room the children 
went to see Mr. Holgrove, and told him about 
the loss to their garden. 


OLD BUSINESS— AND NEW 61 


suppose, then, you have no money to 
deposit this week?” he said. 

^‘Oh, yes, we have our flower money.” 

‘‘I thought you said your garden was 
spoiled by the storm?” 

‘‘But we went down along Walnut Creek 
and got ferns. You just ought to go and 
see how pretty the tea-room looks!” 

“You have the right business idea ! N ever 
fail to deliver the goods! By the way, do 
you know that your money draws interest 
here? We pay four per cent., and add the 
interest to your account, that is, we com- 
pound it.” 

“That^S certainly a new idea to me,” said 
Betty. “You pay us for saving our money 
for us? It seems to me we ought to pay 
you!” 

“Yes,” he replied, “we use your money, 
and pay you for lending it to us.” 

As they were going home, Betty was un- 
usually quiet. 


62 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


^^What are you thinking about, Betty?’’ 
asked Tom presently. 

“About bow we can get some more money 
in bank. If we are to get interest, the faster 
we put that money in, the more interest we 
will get before Christmas.” 

“That’s true,” admitted Tom. 

“And so,” said Betty, “I’ve been think- 
ing again about selling pies down at the 
depot. I’m going to learn to bake them 
right away.” 

That evening Betty said to her mother: 
“Will you teach me how to bake pies?” 

“Why?” asked Mrs. Thrift, “don’t you 
like mine?” 

“Oh, Mother! Of course I do. But Tom 
and I want to make some more money. The 
garden won’t last a great while longer and 
if we can sell pies and coffee to people down 
at the depot and on the trains, I know we 
could make a lot of money at it.” 

“All right, then, we’ll begin now,” said 


OLD BUSINESS— AISTD NEW 63 

her mother. ^‘You and Tom go down into 
the orchard and bring me a panful of apples, 
and I’ll get out the materials.” 

A little later Betty sat peeling and slicing 
the apples. Tom sat beside her, eating all 
the cores. 

When Betty mixed the dough Tom sat and 
laughed at her. ‘‘You’ve got enough flour 
on your nose to make a turnover !” he teased. 

“Just wait till you take your first lesson 
in coffee-making, Tom Thrift ! Then it will 
be my turn!” 

The pie dough didn’t act weU; it stuck to 
Betty’s fingers and to the rolling-pin. 

“Mother!” cried out Betty. “Please 
make Tom go out and sit on the porch till I 
get this pie made!” 

“Here, Tom,” said Mrs. Thrift, “grind 
this cupful of coffee; you had better work 
too!” 

With no one watching her, Betty got 
along better, and finally the crust, a little 


64 


THE THEIPT TWINS 


thick in spots, was laid in the pan. Then 
she put in the apples, with sugar and spice 
according to her mother’s directions. 

“Roll out a cover now,” said her mother. 

Betty rolled it out and was about to spread 
it over the apples, when her mother caught 
her hand. “You must put in openings to let 
the steam out,” she explained. “Just make 
any kind of open-work that you fancy.” 

Betty made two large round holes, and a 
crescent-shaped one beneath. “This is 
Tom’s picture,” she said. “That’s what he 
gets for laughing at me.” 

Tom was too busy to answer, for he was 
putting his coffee on the stove. 

“Now all you have to do is to watch until 
your pie is a little brown on top, Betty, then 
you can take it out of the oven, and put it on 
a plate. Let your coffee boil a few minutes, 
Tom, then put it back in the warming oven. 
I’m going over to Mrs. Colby’s a minute,” 
said Mrs. Thrift. 


OLD BUSINESS— AND NEW 65 


Let’s go out on the porch, Tom,” said 
Betty, ‘‘I’m nearly burnt up.” 

It was pleasant to get out of the hot 
kitchen, and the twins were soon deep in a 
discussion as to how they could sell their 
pies and coffee. 

“I’ll tell you, Tom,” said Betty, “you can 
buy tin-cups and sell them full of coffee. 
I’ll sell my pies whole, for I’m going to 
make little ones.” 

So deeply absorbed did they become in 
their plans that they forgot all ideas of 
space or time. Suddenly a sound of hissing 
and spluttering from the kitchen made them 
both spring to their feet. 

“My pie!” screamed Betty. 

“My coffee!” shrieked Tom. 

And they were both right. The coffee was 
bubbling out of the spout and hissing over 
the top of the hot stove. The pie was run- 
ning out all over the oven. 

“Tom,” said Betty after she had finally 


66 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


got the pie out of the pan, and safely landed 
it on a plate, “Tom, I shall never put your 
picture on my pies again. It doesn’t bring 
me luck!” 

Tom examined his likeness critically. 
“You made my mouth too big, ’ ’ he said. ‘ ‘ If 
you had made me better looking I wouldn’t 
have cried such juicy tears!” 

“Tom,” began Betty again presently, “I 
want to know how this pie tastes!” 

“So do I!” admitted Tom. 

Just then Mrs. Thrift stepped up on the 
back porch. 

“Mother, Mother!” shouted Tom and 
Betty in chorus. “May we eat this pie?” 

“Yes,” answered Mrs. Thrift, “but save 
a piece for Father and me. We’ll eat ours 
at supper.” 

So Betty cut the pie in four pieces. 

“It might be worse,” was her verdict. 

“I never ate one like it!” said Tom. 


CHAPTER IX 


BETTY MISBEHAVES 

School began the first of September and 
the twins decided to wait a week or two be- 
fore beginning their new trade in pies and 
coffee. In the first place, Betty was not 
yet sure of herself. Sometimes her pies 
were very good, but then again they were 
failures, and her mother felt that she should 
practise a while longer. Then, too, there was 
a new teacher in their school, and the chil- 
dren wished to please him with their work. 
Altogether, it seemed best to wait a little 
while. 

The first Friday, Tom and Betty had 
agreed to hurry home from school and work 
in the garden. At noon they spoke of it 
again. 


67 


68 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


^^Now, Betty,” warned Tom, ‘‘be careful! 
Don’t whisper or anything, because you 
know Mr. Turner will keep you in if you do, 
and we must gather the tomatoes to-night!” 

“I’ll be careful!” said Betty, with a sigh. 
It was harder for her to keep still than it 
was for Tom. She was quicker than he at 
learning her lessons, and so had idle time on 
her hands. Tom al^vays recited well, but 
took more time to prepare and so was less 
tempted. 

Just after lunch came arithmetic. Betty 
finished the ten long problems in a few min- 
utes and then looked across at Tom ; he was 
still busily working. Then her eye wandered 
over the room; every one seemed to have 
something to do. Suddenly there came into 
her mind what Mr. Holgrove had said about 
their getting interest on the money that was 
in the bank. She seized her pencil and be- 
gan to figure. Their original five dollars 
had already been drawing interest for five 


BETTY MISBEHAVES 


69 


months; that would be eight and a third 
cents apiece. Then she recalled that on July 
first they had each had twelve dollars ; that 
came to seven and nine-tenths cents. Thor- 
oughly excited, she wrote on a piece of 
paper : 

^‘Tom: We have each sixteen and one- 
fifth cents interest due us this minute!” 

Folding this, she threw it across two 
aisles to Tom’s desk. Not until the bit of 
folded paper fell with a thud upon Tom’s 
desk, did Betty realize that she had broken 
a strict rule ! 

Mr. Turner looked up and spoke quietly : 

‘‘Bring me that, Tom!” 

Betty caught one reproachful glance 
from Tom as he rose and went forward. 
Quick as a flash she was out of her seat and 
up in front of the teacher’s desk. 

“Mr. Turner — that wasn’t Tom’s fault — 
I threw him that — I forgot I was in school !” 


70 


THE THEIFT TWINS 


The pupils all laughed. 

Mr. Turner handed the note back to Tom. 

‘‘Very well, Betty,’’ he said, “you may re- 
main a half-hour after school.” 

A silence fell upon the room. To be de- 
tained after school was, to these country 
children, a severe penalty. 

As for Betty, all the sunshine had gone 
out of the day for her. She did not dare 
look in Tom’s direction for fear she should 
cry. 

When the bell rang, the pupils passed out. 
Looking up, Betty saw that Tom remained 
seated. Mr. Turner noticed him at the same 
moment and said: 

“You need not stay, Tom, I do not con- 
sider you to blame for what your sister did.” 

Tom looked a little puzzled. “I shall wait 
for her, Mr. Turner; we always go home 
together.” 

“Very well. Betty, study your geogra- 
phy lesson for to-morrow.” 


BETTY MISBEHAVES 


71 


Not a sound in the schoolroom. Betty 
looked at her map with eyes too thick with 
tears to distinguish Europe from Asia. Tom 
sat perfectly quiet, casting an occasional 
anxious eye toward Betty. Mr. Turner 
watched them both. 

When the half-hour was up Mr. Turner 
came back to Tom’s desk and asked: 

‘^Tom, may I see the note your sister 
threw you*?” 

Tom placed it, open, in his hand. 

The teacher gazed at it a moment and then 
said : ^ ‘ I thought Betty was giving you help 
in your work, but I can see it is not that. 
What does it mean?” 

^‘She was counting up how much interest 
is due us on our money in the bank.” 

^‘Have you two a bank-account?” 

‘‘Yes, sir. We have a garden and sell 
vegetables and flowers.” 

“Well, that’s interesting. We had one 
too, but that big storm last month ruined it 


72 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


and we have had to buy everything since 
then. What have you to sell now?” 

‘‘We have beans and corn. We were 
going home early to-night to pick our toma- 
toes. I think we have about a bushel of 
them to sell, too.” 

“My wife asked me to bring her some for 
canning. Do you suppose you could let me 
have all you gather to-night?” 

“Oh, yes!” cried Betty, and then became 
silent, hanging her head. 

‘ ‘ V ery well. W ait till I hitch up my horse 
and I’ll take you home in the buggy and get 
the tomatoes right now.” 

As they drove up in front of the house 
Mrs. Thrift came to meet them, her expres- 
sion a little anxious. The children intro- 
duced Mr. Turner. 

“How do the children behave in school?” 
she inquired. 

Mr. Turner’s eyes twinkled as he looked 
at Betty. “They are very much interested 


BETTY MISBEHAVES 73 

in arithmetic, especially in interest!” he 
replied. 

Tom became suddenly very much con- 
cerned in the tomatoes, as did also Betty. 
They hunted for the very nicest and ripest 
and began to fill a basket. 

As Mr. Turner left he turned to the chil- 
dren and said: ‘‘Every time you come to 
Milton now, stop at my house. My wife 
would like to meet you two. She used to 
live in the country and is very fond of flow- 
ers, and children! We had a little boy and 
girl once — almost your age — ” He did not 
finish his sentence, but added abruptly to 
Mrs. Thrift: 

“Your children are a pleasure to me in my 
work. They know their lessons well, and I 
want to get better acquainted with them, 
outside of school hours.” 

As Mr. Turner drove away, Mrs. Thrift 
put a hand gently on each twin’s shoulder: 


74 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


^‘Now,” she said, ‘‘what happened in 
school to-day?” 

“How do you always know, Mother?” 
sighed Betty. “Did that same little bird 
tell you?” 

“Never mind about the little bird,” said 
her mother, “just what happened?” 

And then Betty told the whole story. 
“Tom stayed too. Mother,” she added, “but 
it was all my fault.” 

“Of course he did,” said her mother, “I 
should be ashamed of him if he hadn’t.” 


CHAPTER X 


SHAG MISBEHAVES 

Several days after Betty’s experience in 
counting up her interest, she and Tom ar- 
ranged to go to Milton with some flowers 
for Miss Bertelle. Just before school be- 
gan in the afternoon Tom turned to Betty 
and said: ‘‘Now, Betty ” 

“I won’t!” cried Betty quickly. 

Tom laughed. “Be sure you don’t! Be- 
cause I think it will be a good plan to call 
on Mrs. Turner to-night. Mr. Turner says 
they live near the depot, and from there we 
can go and find out when the trains come 
in. We ought to begin now selling pies and 
coffee.” 

Betty was so afraid of breaking some 
75 


76 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


rule that she studied her geography lesson 
for a week ahead, her hands over her ears, 
her eyes glued to her book. 

Before leaving the school they mentioned 
to Mr. Turner that they were going to call 
on Mrs. Turner that evening. 

‘‘She will be very glad to see you,’’ he 
said. “I’ll likely not get back in time my- 
self, for I am going over to Danbury, but 
you won’t have any trouble in finding the 
house. It’s a little white cottage in a big 
yard, and it isn’t a stone’s throw from the 
depot. It’s noisy there, but we like it, for 
it’s never lonely.” 

The twins hurried home and gathered 
their dahlias, cosmos, and salvia. 

“I know Miss Bertelle will be pleased 
with these!” cried Betty, as they finished 
loading the wagon. 

“Now where is Shag?” demanded 
Tom. 

They went to the wood-shed, but no dog 


SHAG MISBEHAVES 77 

was there; then to the bam; but no Shag. 
They called and called and called. 

After a time Shag came running in from 
the fields, his whole manner very apologetic. 
He backed up between the shafts, his eyes 
fixed affectionately upon them. 

‘‘Shag, where have you been asked Tom 
sternly. 

Shag wagged his tail harder than ever, 
and tried to jump up on Tom to show how 
sorry he was to be late. 

They started for Milton, as fast as Shag 
was willing to go. All went well until they 
were half a mile from home, and then 

Without any warning whatever Shag 
leaped across the ditch at the side of the 
road, and over went the boxes of flowers 
into the muddy water. Away went Shag, 
the empty wagon rattling at his heels, hel- 
ter-skelter across the field. 

Betty stood still and screamed. Tom ran 
after Shag, calling to him to stop. 


78 


THE THEIFT TWINS 


In a few minutes Shag came back, his 
broken harness still dangling, but the wagon 
was caught in the last hedge he had leaped 
over. He crouched at Tom’s feet, looking 
at him pleadingly out of his soft brown eyes, 
his tail thumping the ground. 

‘‘Betty,” said Tom, “just take Shag home 
and tie him up in the wood-shed ! I’ll gather 
up the flowers and pull the wagon myself. 
It will be easier for you to take Shag home.” 

“You’ll wait for me, though, won’t you, 
Tom?” 

“Yes, I’ll wait for you at Miss Bertelle’s, 
and then we can go together around to Mrs. 
Turner’s. Whatever do you suppose got 
the matter with Shag?” 

“I’m sure I don’t know,” replied Betty. 
“I guess he just forgot himself. Sometimes 
that happens, and then you are terribly 
sorry, when it is too late!” 

Betty hurried the repentant Shag home, 
keeping tight hold of the lines, and as Tom 


SHAG MISBEHAVES 79 

had suggested, tied him up in the wood- 
shed. 

‘‘What’s the matter, Betty?” called her 
mother. 

“Shag ran off and upset our flowers!” 

“Where’s Tom?” 

“He’s going to take the flowers to Miss 
Bertelle’s and wait for me there.” 

“All right, but don’t stay too late. Were 
your flowers much spoiled?” 

“I don’t think so, but the boxes will be all 
soaked with mud and water, and we will have 
to get new ones. I never knew Shag to act 
like that!” 

“We’ll not give him any supper to-night,” 
said Mrs. Thrift, “for he must be taught in 
some way not to run away!” 

“Won’t he starve?” 

“Oh, no, he’ll do very well till morning.” 

Betty started back at once, and was for- 
tunately asked to ride most of the way, so 
she reached the tea-room almost as soon as 


80 


THE THEIFT TWINS 


Tom did. Miss Bertelle was arranging the 
flowers on the tables as Betty came in. ‘‘So 
Shag was naughty!” she laughed. 

“Yes,” said Betty soberly, “but do you 
know I’m sorry for him? He was whining 
as if his heart would break when I came 
away!” 

From the tea-room the twins went to Mrs. 
Turner’s house, finding the place without 
any difficulty, for it was just as Mr. Turner 
had described it. Mrs. Turner, a little 
woman with “eyes as soft and brown as 
Shag’s,” according to Betty, came to meet 
them. The twins liked her at once. 

“Wouldn’t you like to see my dahlias?” 
she asked. 

The whole yard was filled with dahlias — 
more kinds than Betty had ever dreamed of 
— deep velvety crimson ones, like damask 
roses, white ones, yellow, variegated, all col- 
ors and kinds, from single varieties like wild 
roses, to double ones as shaggy and raggedy 


SHAG MISBEHAVES 81 

as chrysanthemums. Betty ran from one 
to the other in delight. 

never saw anything so beautiful!” she 
exclaimed, hanging over one which was 
shaped almost like a star. 

raise only dahlias,” explained Mrs. 
Turner. ‘‘My little girl was very fond of 
them. I take them to the Children’s Hos- 
pital every week. When I take them up for 
the winter would you like to have some of 
the bulbs?” 

“Oh, yes, yes!” cried Betty in delight. 

After looking at all the flowers they sat 
down on the porch and the children told 
Mrs. Turner about their plan for selling pie 
and coffee. 

“There are two trains in the evening, 
about fifteen minutes apart. The east- 
bound comes in about half -past four. I am 
sure you could sell to the people on that 
train because it is so near supper-time. But 


82 THE THRIFT TWINS 

how are you going to keep your coffee hot, 
Tom?’’ 

never thought of that!” cried Tom. 
‘‘It will get cold, won’t it?” 

“Bring it here,” said Mrs. Turner, “and 
put it on my range until just before the train 
pulls in. Then it will be nice and hot. 
People will like it better if it is steaming.” 

The children thanked Mrs. Turner and 
said they must now start for home. She 
gave them each a beautiful dahlia to show 
their mother, and followed them down to 
the gate, waving her hand to them as long 
as they were in sight. 

“Isn’t she good?” asked Betty, as they 
were on their way home. 

“Yes,” answered Tom, “almost as nice as 
Mother!” 

That night as the twins sat studying their 
lessons, Betty got up and slipped out qui- 
etly. When she came back she went up to 
her mother, and said: “Mother, I took Shag 


SHAG MISBEHAVES 


83 


a piece of bread. I didn’t tbink I could 
sleep with him out there all alone, and 
hungry!” 

Very well,” replied her mother, think 
he has been punished enough. ’ ’ 

Betty sat down again, and opened her 
spelling-book, but her eyes were far away. 

^^Tom,” she said presently, “it’s your 
turn now. Shag and I have both been bad ! ’ ’ 


CHAPTER XI 


PIE AND COFFEE 

Tom and Betty chose Saturday as their 
first day to begin selling pies and coffee. In 
the forenoon Betty baked twenty little pies, 
taking great pains with them. They looked 
fine, when, all golden brown, she spread 
them out to cool on the kitchen table. 

Tom looked at them longingly. ‘Hf we 
don’t sell all of them. I’ll eat all that’s left,” 
he offered generously. 

u There won’t be any left,” declared 
Betty. ‘‘You’ll see! People will cry for 
more!” 

Shag had been very humble since the day 
he had run away, and when they hitched him 
up with the mended harness, he stood very 
still, seeming to realize that he was under 
suspicion. 


84 


PIE AND COFFEE 


85 


The pies were packed in a big flat basket, 
and Betty had little paper plates to put each 
one on. Tom had some tin-cups for the 
coffee, and cream and sugar to put in as 
people might order. The coffee was in a 
huge coffee-pot. 

Slowly they went on their way. Shag was 
very good, looking neither to the right nor 
the left, but walking along as steadily as an 
old soldier. 

When they reached the town they went 
direct to the Turners’, and Mrs. Turner put 
the coffee-pot on the stove in the summer 
kitchen. They were so impatient that they 
could hardly wait for the train to come, and 
as soon as they heard the whistle, they 
started across to the station, carrying the 
basket and the coffee-pot, for they had de- 
cided to leave Shag with Mrs. Turner. 

Bravely they went out on the platform as 
the train pulled in. Then, all of a sudden, 
Betty was seized with a sort of stage-fright ; 


86 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


she could not say a word, but stood mutely 
holding out her basket of pies ! Tom found 

himself in almost as bad a plight there 

were so many strange faces ! 

Suddenly there came a shrill cry from 
the train: ‘‘Look, look, mama! I want a 
little pie ! Get me a little pie, quick, mama ! ’ ’ 

Betty looked up and there was a little 
girl, leaning far out of the window. 
Promptly she reached up a pie, and chubby 
fingers seized it. A woman leaned out of 
the window. “How much are the pies, lit- 
tle girl?’’ she asked. 

“Ten cents!” 

“And the coffee?” 

“Ten cents, cup and all!” answered Tom. 

“Give me another pie then, and a cup of 
coffee with cream and sugar,” said the lady, 
and she handed the children three dimes. 

That was the beginning. Betty forgot all 
about being frightened, she was so busy. 
Every one began calling for pie and coffee 



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PIE AND COFFEE 87 

and the children could have sold all they had 
if the train hadn’t pulled out so soon. 

Some people standing around the depot 
bought a few more pies and cups of coffee, 
and when the west-bound train came in, the 
twins disposed of all the rest. Every drop 
of coffee was gone, every crumb of pie, and 
they had four dollars in their pockets ! 

Then they went back to tell Mrs. Turner 
about their success. 

know we could have sold more if we 
had had them!” declared Betty. 

^^How much profit do you make on each 
sale*?” asked Mr. Turner, who was at home 
this time. 

‘‘About five cents on each pie, and the 
same on each cup of coffee. We get the 
cups cheap, by getting them in large quan- 
tities.” 

“If I were you, I’d try to come oftener 
than once a week,” said Mr. Turner. “It 
would be better to come twice with the same 


88 


THE THEIPT TWINS 


sized load you had to-day, than to try to 
bring a larger load/’ 

‘‘But when could I bake my pies'?” ob- 
jected Betty, “it takes a long time!” 

“That’s so,” he admitted, “I hadn’t 
thought of that!” 

“You might get up earlier in the morn- 
ing, Betty, and maybe Tom would slice 
your apples for you. Then you could get 
your pies all ready for baking, and I’m 
sure your mother would see to that,” sug- 
gested Mrs. Turner. 

“I believe we could manage it that way!” 
cried Betty excitedly. “Tom, do you think 
you could peel apples?” 

Tom laughed: “I guess so!” 

“Can’t you children stay to supper?” 
asked Mrs. Turner. 

“Not to-night,” said Betty, “we prom- 
ised Mother we’d hurry home. She’ll be 
uneasy if we’re late.” 

“Next time you must ask her if you can’t 


PIE AND COFFEE 


89 


stay. Mr. Turner will take you home 
afterward.” 

‘‘Yes,” agreed Mr. Turner, “I’m going 
to take you home now.” 

“But what will we do with the wagon and 
Shag?” 

“We’ll hitch the wagon on behind the 
buggy, and Shag can ride when he gets tired 
of walking!” 

When they were all packed into the buggy, 
Mrs. Turner began to laugh. Tom was 
carrying the coffee-pot, and Betty had her 
basket on her head, like a bonnet. The lit- 
tle wagon bobbed along behind, and Shag 
jumped madly around it not seeming to un- 
derstand what was pulling it. “You look 
like gypsies!” she called out after them. 

Mr. and Mrs. Thrift, who were both out at 
the gate, anxiously scanning the road, 
looked greatly relieved to see the children. 

“We were a little afraid that Shag might 
have run off again!” explained Mrs. Thrift. 


90 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


^^Oh, he was a fine dog to-day said Tom. 

‘‘Yes/’ said Betty, “and he’s going to 
have a fine supper to-night.” 

Tom and Betty went into the garden and 
found some nice sweet-corn for Mr. Turner, 
and a few chrysanthemums for him to take 
to Mrs. Turner, and then they waved their 
hands to him, till he was out of sight. 

As they sat at their late supper, the twins 
told of Mr. Turner’s suggestion for two 
trips a week. 

“We’ve still got fifteen dollars apiece to 
get into the bank before Christmas,” said 
Tom, “and our garden will soon be gone. 
It may frost any night now.” 

“If you can do your part, Betty,” said 
Mrs. Thrift, “I’ll do mine. I certainly will 
bake those pies for you.” 

“And I’ll do mine,” put in Tom. “I’ll 
peel the apples, and pick out the worms, and 
sprinkle them with sugar and spice ” 

“Oh, Tom!” cried Betty. “Do be still!” 


CHAPTER XII 


TOM AND BETTY GO NUTTING 

‘Hf WE didn’t have to dig potatoes to- 
night, I know a way we could have a good 
time and make some money too,” said 
Betty one Friday afternoon as they were 
walking home from school. 

‘^So do I!” said Tom. thought of it 
while I was studying my geography lesson. 
What is your idea, Betty?” 

‘‘Let’s go down into Walnut Creek Hol- 
low and gather some nuts. We can get a 
dollar and a half a bushel for them at 
McClure’s.” 

“Why, that’s my plan too!” cried Tom. 
“However did you happen to think of the 
same thing I did, Betty?” 

91 


92 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


Being twins, I guess we have twin- 
ideas!’- suggested Betty. ‘‘Anyhow, let’s 
hurry and get one load to-night. Then we 
can dig the potatoes to-morrow. I shall 
bake my pies after we get through.” 

Mrs. Thrift hesitated a little, when the 
twins asked if they might go, but finally 
consented, after cautioning them to get out 
of the woods before dark. “You know the 
evenings are getting short now,” she added, 
as a parting word. 

Tom whistled for Shag, but the dog did 
not come. “He must be off somewhere with 
Father,” he said to Betty. “We’ll have to 
go on without him. We’ll take turns pull- 
ing the wagon, and when I’m pulling you 
can ride.” 

They put an empty grain-sack and a cou- 
ple of baskets in the wagon, and started 
away briskly. 

The first trees they came to, in the Hol- 
low, were almost stripped of nuts, and they 


TOM AND BETTY GO NUTTING 93 


went deeper and deeper into the woods. At 
last they came upon a tree almost untouched 
by squirrels or boys, and Tom pulled off his 
jacket. ‘‘You pick up, Betty, and I’ll climb 
the tree and shake the nuts down,” he said. 

“Yes, and get hit on the head ! I’d rather 
we’d both club the nuts down, and then both 
pick up.” 

“All right, but you be careful now where 
you throw your club. It’s about as bad to 
get hit on the head with a club as it is by a 
walnut!” 

They soon had the ground strewn thick 
with nuts and then began to fill the sack. 

“We have over a bushel!” cried Tom. 
“Now I’m going over there and look among 
that group of old giants, to see what I can 
find. If you hear me call, come over quick 
and help!” 

Betty finished picking up all the stray 
nuts, and just as she had finished tying the 
sack, she heard Tom hallooing. She ran 


94 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


quickly toward him and found that he was 
piling up a heap of walnuts. “Whatever 
will we do with them, Tom?” she asked in 
dismay. “The sack’s fuU now, and we sim- 
ply can’t carry any more!” 

“But we must take them to-night! To- 
morrow everybody will be out here nutting, 
and besides we’ll have to dig the potatoes.” 

“Maybe we can make two trips to-night.” 

“Oh, no, we can’t do that. Let me see — 
can’t we hide them somewhere?” 

Betty took off her bonnet and swung it 
round and round by the string. This was a 
habit of hers when she was thinking. Faster 
and faster went the bonnet. ‘ ^ Oh, I know ! ’ ’ 
she cried suddenly. “We’ll do like the 
squirrels and hide them in a tree ! Where’s 
a big hollow stump?” 

After a short search they found an im- 
mense old stump, the inside of which was 
completely rotted away. J oyously they 
filled their baskets and emptied them, again 


TOM AND BETTY GO NUTTING 95 


and again, until the stump was full to the 
top. 

‘‘Now let’s cover them overl” said Betty, 
and she began to put soft dirt and old leaves 
on the stump, even planting a tiny oak-tree 
on top. “Now no one will ever suspect 
what’s there!” she cried. 

“I guess not!” agreed Tom. “But let’s 
hurry! Just see how dark it’s getting!” 

They hurried back to the wagon, loaded 
it, and started on the return trip, Tom pull- 
ing, and Betty balancing the baskets on top. 
Occasionally, when they came to rough 
places, she had to push, too. 

Although they hurried as much as they 
could, it was getttug quite dark before they 
came to the end of the woods. It was a great 
deal harder to pull the wagon now than it 
had been when it was empty. 

A crackling twig made both children 
start nervously. 

“Are you afraid, Betty?” asked Tom. 


96 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


^^No-o,” said Betty, casting a quick glance 
over her shoulder, “but let’s hurry, because 
Mother will be uneasy!” 

“I’m pulling just as fast as ever I can! 
This old wagon needs axle-grease, or some- 
thing!” 

“I guess we’re both pretty tired, too,” 
said Betty, “I think maybe we had better 
not have started on that last tree.” 

Suddenly the rear wagon-wheel caught in 
a tangle of projecting roots, and try as they 
would, the children could not budge it. 
“We’ll simply have to unload it!” cried 
Tom, disgustedly. 

They rolled the sack of nuts out upon the 
ground, and lifted the wagon free from the 
obstruction. Then they each took hold of an 
end of the heavy sack, to reload. A rustling 
and crackling among the near-by bushes 
made them both drop their hold upon the 
sack. Betty screamed, and caught Tom by 
the hand. 


TOM AND BETTY GO NUTTING 97 


^^Oh — it’s just a — cow — or something,” 
stammered Tom. ‘‘Never mind, Betty, I’m 
not sc — scared — not a — ^not a bit!” 

Crash! snap! crash! and from the deep 
shadows of the thicket a dark form came 
dashing toward them. Betty threw both 
arms tightly around Tom’s neck. “Oh, 
Tom! I wish I was at home!” she wailed. 

‘ ‘ Bow-wow-wow ! ’ ’ 

“Oh, you old rascal Shag!” cried Tom. 
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself for 
giving us such a scare!” 

Betty began to laugh through her tears. 
“Oh, Shag, I’m so glad to see you!” 

“You acted as if you were, Betty! Come 
on, now, since Shag’s here, let’s get loaded 
again, and get out of the woods. It will be 
lighter on the road.” 

With Shag rollicking around them, the 
loading was soon accomplished, and once out 
on the road, there was a lingering bit of day- 
light. 


98 THE THRIFT TWINS 

The children found their mother out at 
the gate, anxiously waiting for them. ‘‘I 
was getting uneasy,” she said, ‘‘and so I 
sent Shag after you. Did he find you?” 

Tom and Betty exchanged an understand- 
ing glance. “Yes, he found us,” they said 
together. 


CHAPTER XIII 

A HARD DAY^S WORK 

The morning after the nutting, Tom and 
Betty were out in the garden by sunrise. 
It was fun forking up the brown earth and 
uncovering the piles of potatoes ; it was ex- 
citing, too, for they sometimes found a mam- 
moth big one. These Betty named after 
the presidents, and she had just found Mar- 
tin Van Buren when their mother called 
them in to breakfast. 

All forenoon they worked, and when they 
had harvested their entire crop, they found 
that they had three bushels, all good-sized 
ones, and a few too small to sell. 

After an early lunch, Betty began on her 
pies, Tom helping her by peeling and slic- 
99 


100 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


ing the apples. About the middle of the 
afternoon they were ready to start to town. 
Their father was to take them in the wagon, 
so that they might sell their potatoes. 

They drove up first to the tea-room and 
Miss Bertelle bought their chrysanthemums, 
the last flowers they would have to sell. 
She was also very glad to buy their potatoes, 
and when this business was all transacted, 
the children found that they had just time 
enough to get to the bank before the closing 
hour. 

WeU, how much are you going to put in 
to-day?’’ asked Mr. Holgrove. 

Three dollars apiece!” 

^‘Fine — fine — I should think that your 
garden was almost exhausted!” 

‘‘It is. We’ll have nothing more to sell, 
either flowers or vegetables.” 

“I’ve been wondering whether you 
wouldn’t like to go down to the home-place 
and get a load of bittersweet? I’d like 


A HARD DAY’S WORK 


101 


some for the bank here, and Miss Bertelle 
could use it for her table decorations. I 
have been intending to go down there for 
some time, but I have been kept too busy. 
Do you think you could manage it?” 

^‘Oh, yes, we’d like to,” declared Tom and 
Betty, in the same breath. 

^^Then here’s the key to the house. It’s 
only partly furnished, and everything is 
probably thick with dust, but I believe you 
would enjoy looking at it. If you want a 
fire, build one in the fireplace, but you’ll be 
careful, won’t you?” 

‘‘Yes, sir,” replied Tom. 

“I wouldn’t trust every one with the key,” 
continued Mr. Holgrove, “but I know you 
two are trustworthy!” 

The children thanked Mr. Holgrove, and 
Tom put the key securely in his pocket. 

Once out of the bank, he and Betty ex- 
amined with joy their bank-books. They 
now had forty dollars apiece ! 


102 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


We’ll make that fifty all right !” boasted 
Tom. 

‘‘And it’s been lots of fun!” added Betty. 

Mr. Thrift then drove around to the depot 
and watched with great interest while they 
sold their pies and coffee. “You don’t have 
to coax them much, do you?” he asked, as 
the last train pulled out. 

“No, I believe that people are hungry 
all the time, when they’re traveling,” said 
Tom. 

It seemed fine to the twins to climb into 
the wagon, and not have to walk home. “I 
wish we had a pony-cart!” exclaimed Betty, 
“I don’t mind working so hard, but I don’t 
like walking home afterward.” 

“Would you and Tom rather have a pony 
and a cart than that fifty I promised you 
for Christmas?” asked Mr. Thrift. 

“Oh, yes!” shouted the twins in unison. 

“Then in the summer we could sell a lot 
more vegetables ! ’ ’ 


A HARD DAY’S WORK 103 

‘‘And maybe raise chickens, and sell 
eggs ! ’ ’ 

“I’ll look around and see if I can find a 
nice gentle pony,” said Mr. Tliirft, “and 
in the meantime I’ll teach you both to 
drive.” 

“We can drive now. Father,” interrupted 
Betty. “We can drive Shag and he runs 
away just like Fire-fly does!” 

“I’ll drive around past Dean’s and ask 
them if they know where I can get a pony,” 
remarked Mr. Thrift presently. 

“Oh, Betty! That will give us a chance 
to go down into the Hollow and get our 
walnuts!” 

“Will you wait while we get our walnuts, 
Father? We hid them in a stump down in 
the woods. We can get them while you talk 
with Mr. Dean.” 

“How many have you?” 

“About a bushel.” 

“AH right. Take one of your potato bas- 


104 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


kets, and run along. Ill wait for you down 
by the bridge.’’ 

hope no one has found our hiding- 
place!” cried Betty, as they ran through 
the woods. 

‘‘How could they?” exclaimed Tom. 
“That little tree would fool any one!” 

Betty managed to beat Tom by a few feet, 
for he had stumbled over a root, and so she 
was first to reach the stump. “Oh, Tom!” 
she cried in dismay. “Some one has been 
here! Just look!” 

Sure enough, there was a round hole in 
the top of the stump, and at least a half- 
peck of walnuts was gone ! 

“Who could have done that?” questioned 
Betty. 

“It wasn’t any boy,” decided Tom in- 
stantly, “for he wouldn’t have left any!” 

Just then they heard a tch-tch-tchuking 
up in the tree. There on a branch was a 
gray squirrel, scolding them vigorously. 


A HARD DAY’S WORK 


105 


‘‘Oh, you’re the thief, are you?” called 
out Tom, shaking his fist at the squirrel. 

“My little tree didn’t fool him, did it?” 
laughed Betty. “But really, Tom, I sus- 
pect he’s calling us ‘Thief! Robber!’ in 
squirrel language. I suppose he’s got a bet- 
ter right to these nuts than we have!” 

“But let’s hurry and take what he left,” 
said Tom. “Because he’s able to climb out 
on branches that won’t hold me!” 

The twins carried their basket back to the 
bridge and found their father there waiting 
for them. 

“Mr. Dean says there is to be a Horse 
Fair over at Danbury in a couple of weeks, 
and I’ll go over there and see about a pony,” 
he explained, as the children climbed into 
the wagon. 

Betty and Tom squeezed each other’s 
hands rapturously. 

“I’d rather have a pony than be a — a — 
banker!” whispered Tom. 


106 


THE THEIPT TWINS 


^^And I’d rather have a pony than a tea- 
room!” declared Betty. 

As the twins tumbled out of the wagon at 
their own door Betty sleepily remarked: 
^‘Tom, it seems ages since morning!” 

‘‘Yes,” was his answer. “I feel like an 
old man!” 


CHAPTER XIV 


BITTEESWEET 

The twins looked forward all week to 
Saturday, so that they might go to Lilac 
Cottage, as Betty always called the Hol- 
grove place. As it was two or three miles 
from their home they decided to eat their 
lunch there, returning early in the after- 
noon so that they could go to town. 

Betty made her pies and Mrs. Thrift of- 
fered to bake them for her. 

When the twins had Shag all hitched up 
to the wagon, ready to go, their mother 
brought them out a basket of lunch. 

‘Hs there something for Shag, too asked 
Betty. 

‘‘Yes, I put in a bone for him.’’ 

107 


108 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


Don’t get selfisti, Betty, and eat that 
yourself,” warned Tom. 

won’t, unless Shag runs away like he 
did that other time,” said Betty. 

It was a fine morning, frosty, but clear. 
The pumpkins were shining like gold in the 
fields, and the corn rustled its brown leaves. 
Shag insisted on running nearly all the way, 
and the twins had to run, too. 

Lilac Cottage was on a side road, and in 
the midst of such a tangle of overgrown 
bushes, vines, and tall weeds, that one would 
scarcely suspect that there was a house 
there at all. A long grass-grown graveled 
walk led up to the front door, between 
gnarled old apple-trees. 

‘‘Wouldn’t this be a fine place for a 
swing?” asked Betty. 

“I’d rather see it running over with little 
yellow chickens,” replied Tom. “And 
wouldn’t it be a fine idea to have a pool for 
ducks back there where the spring is?” 


BITTERSWEET 109 

Let’s go in the house!” urged Betty. 
‘‘I’m crazy to see inside it.” 

The key grated in the lock, and the door 
opened hard. Inside it was dark, for the 
heavy wooden shutters were closed. Tom 
crossed the floor, and with some effort got 
one window open, and threw back the 
shutter. 

Betty clapped her hands with delight. 
There was a great fireplace, with a half- 
burnt log among the ashes. On the floor 
was a rag carpet, of quaint, old-fashioned 
design ; there were a few chairs and a rick- 
ety table. On the mantel was a queer old 
wooden clock, a china hen in a nest, and a 
gilt vase. Two wooden benches on either 
side of the fireplace completed the fur- 
nishing. 

“Now, let’s see the rest of the house!” 
cried Betty excitedly. 

Off this main room was a tiny bedroom, 
unfurnished, and back of that a kitchen. 


110 


THE THEIFT TWINS 


opening into a closed porch. In the kitchen 
were a small stove, some wooden chairs, a 
table covered with an oil-cloth, and a cup- 
board. Betty pulled open the door of the 
cupboard, and there was a set of wonderful 
blue dishes. ‘‘Oh, look, Tom!” she cried 
out with delight. “Just see these funny 
little cups and saucers ! I wish we had some 
of your coffee in them!” 

“Maybe we can some day!” replied Tom, 
nodding his head wisely. “When weVe 
bought Lilac Cottage!” 

Betty hunted all around until she found 
an old broom, and then she swept the two 
rooms, while Tom built a fire out of pine- 
cones from under the old pine at the gate. 

“Now let’s go and gather our bittersweet, 
and let the rooms air while we are gone,” 
said Betty, “then we’ll eat our lunch.” 

They had no trouble filling their little 
wagon, for the bittersweet was twined over 
all the fences. Then, with keen appetites 


BITTERSWEET 


111 


from the cold, they returned to the cottage, 
and piled another basketful of pine-cones 
on the fire. 

When the flames were leaping up merrily, 
they sat down on the benches, and ate their 
lunch. Shag enjoyed his bone on an old 
newspaper which Betty found and spread 
for him in front of the fire. 

As soon as they had finished they banked 
up the fire with ashes, closed the shutters, 
locked the door, and started for home. All 
the way they discussed their plans for Lilac 
Cottage in case Mr. Holgrove should let 
them have it. 

‘‘With two gardens we could do wonders,” 
said Betty. “Just think what we did this 
summer with only one!” 

“Let’s hurry up, so we can see Mr. Hol- 
grove this afternoon!” urged Tom. 

“Father,” said Tom, as they came into 
the yard, “had you thought of taking us to 
town, this afternoon?” 


112 


THE THEIFT TWINS 


‘‘Well, no,” replied Mr. Thrift, “I had 
intended cutting some kindling-wood.” 

“I’ll do that to-night,” said Tom. “You 
see Shag is tired, and we want to get there 
as soon as we can. We want to talk to Mr. 
Holgrove.” 

“All right. Go get ready and I’ll hitch 
up Fire-fly.” 

“We’re getting spoiled,” remarked Betty, 
as she seated herself in the wagon. 

“Just wait till you get your pony!” said 
her father. 

“When do we get that pony. Father?” 
asked Tom. 

“Strictly speaking, he isn’t due till 
Christmas,” replied Mr. Thrift. “But as 
your bank-account is nearly up to the re- 
quired figures now. I’ll get him as soon as I 
can find him. What kind of a pony do you 
want?” 

“A black one,” said Tom. 

“A white one,” said Betty. 



When the flames were leaping up merrily, they sat down on 
the benches and ate their lunch. 







BITTERSWEET 113 

Mr. Thrift whistled. ^^How would a 
spotted one do?” he asked. don’t see 
any other way of suiting you both.” 

Having left six large bunches of bitter- 
sweet at the tea-room, the twins hurried to 
the bank. 

‘^Well, how was the cottage?” asked Mr. 
Holgrove. 

‘^Will you rent it to us?” inquired Torn, 
breathlessly. 

‘‘What would you do with it?” laughed 
Mr. Holgrove. 

“Make it into a chicken and duck farm!” 

“Well — ^well — ^well. If that isn’t an 

idea!” 

“And I’d keep the house clean!” put in 
Betty. 

Mr. Holgrove considered a minute. 
“We’ll call that a bargain!” he said with a 
smile. “You are to take good care of the 
place, and keep me in garden supplies! Is 
that the idea?” 


114 


THE THEIFT TWINS 


— and all the eggs you want!’^ 

‘‘All right. If you do well maybe I’ll sell 
you the place, who knows?” 

The twins were so excited that they could 
scarcely keep their minds on the sale of pie 
and coffee that evening. On their way 
home Betty whispered to Tom, “I can hardly 
wait to begin on Lilac Cottage I” 

“Neither can I!” said Tom. “Amd I 
know I’ll dream about a pony I” 

“Yes, a white one!” 

“No, a black one!” 

“And I’ll dream,” interrupted their 
father, “that I’m at a circus, bargaining for 
a zebra.” 


CHAPTER XV 


THE PONY 

‘‘Where are you going, Father?’’ asked 
Betty one morning as they sat down to 
breakfast. 

“Over to the school to inquire how you 
and Tom are getting along!” 

“You wouldn’t put on your best suit to go 
there!” declared Betty. “Tom, don’t you 
think Father is going to get our pony?” 

“Father, can’t I go along?” asked Tom. 

“And miss school?” 

Tom sighed. “I could learn a lot about 
horses and ponies!” 

“You two just run along to school, as 
usual. If I can find you a pony you’ll learn 
all you need to know by taking care of it!” 

115 


116 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


^^When will you be borne?’’ 

‘‘About supper-time, I think. But if I 
should happen to be a little later, you two 
can just go to bed ” 

“To bed! We’ll be out there sitting on 
the gate-post, if it’s midnight!” 

All that day the twins watched the school 
clock and it seemed to Betty that the hands 
stood still just to spite her. 

‘‘Tom,” she delcared at the lunch hour, 
“if school isn’t soon over I’m afraid I’ll 
explode!” 

“Let’s walk a piece down the road and 
think up a name for the pony,” suggested 
Tom. ‘ ‘ That will help pass the time. ’ ’ 

“It’s hard to name something that you’ve 
never seen!” 

“I know it, but we can think of some 
black-pony names, and some white-pony 
names, and then a few for most any kind of 
a pony!” 

“Well, let’s make a game out of it. If 


THE PONY 117 

either of us hesitates he will have to pay a 
forfeit’’ 

^‘All right You begin, Betty!” 

‘^Snowball!” 

^^Blackie!” 

‘‘Beauty!” 

“Laddie!” 

“Fairy!” 

“Racer!” 

“Robin!” 

“Tiger!” 

When the bell rang they were still excit- 
edly playing. “I could keep that up all 
afternoon!” boasted Betty. 

“I couldn’t,” admitted Tom, “the bell 
saved me!” 

The afternoon classes dragged by some- 
how, and when the dismissal bell rang, Tom 
and Betty darted out of the building, and 
fairly flew down the road. 

“Has Father come back?” they shouted 
as they rushed into the house. 


118 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


‘‘Not yet/’ replied their mother. “It is 
a long drive to Danbury, you know. Tom, 
how about cutting a little kindling?” 

With a whoop Tom attacked the wood, 
and split with fury until he had quite a pile, 
and then Betty came and helped him ar- 
range it in neat rows in the wood-shed. 

Just as they finished Mrs. Thrift came 
and called them in to supper. “You two had 
better eat, then you can go down to the 
cross-roads to meet your father!” 

In between bites, Tom and Betty took 
turns in running to the window at every 
sound from the road. But supper was fin- 
ished, and still their father had not come. 

“Run along now,” advised their mother. 
“Go as far as the cross-roads, and no far- 
ther. By the time you get there I t hink 
Father will be in sight.” 

“May we take Shag?” 

“Better leave him here. He might bark 
and frighten Fire-fly, or the pony!” 


THE PONY 


119 


Let’s play we’re Indians!” suggested 
Betty. ‘‘We’ll play we’re chasing a white 
man who’s stolen our pony! And when we 
meet him, we’ll fall upon him and take our 
pony ” 

“And ride away in triumph! Let’s!” 
cried Tom. 

So they put a few long chicken feathers 
in their caps, and started on their way with 
a fierce war-whoop. Every few steps Tom 
would climb up on the fence, and, shading 
his eyes with his hands, look far down the 
road, through the oncoming twilight. “No 
pale-face!” he would mutter. 

They had almost reached the cross-roads 
when they heard the clip-clap of a horse’s 
hoofs. 

“That’s Fire-fly!” cried Betty, excitedly. 
“Come on, Tom!” and down the road 
they flew, their feathers whistling in the 
wind. 

Sure enough, it was their father, driving 


120 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


slowly, and back of the buggy trotted a 
beautiful little pony! 

‘ ‘ Whoa ! Fire-fly ! ’ ’ shouted Tom. ‘ ‘ Hand 
over our pony, white man!” 

‘‘Do you think you can lead him home?” 
asked Mr. Thrift. “Fire-fly is nervous be- 
cause IVe driven him slowly and I think 
he would like a little run for the stable.” 

“Yes, yes, give him to us!” 

“All right, take the rope. Come straight 
home to your wigwam!” 

“We will!” And the twins each put an 
arm about the new pony’s neck, and started 
on. 

“What color is this pony, Betty?” de- 
manded Tom. “It’s getting so dark that I 
couldn’t tell if he was purple!” 

“I think he’s black,” said Betty, “but 
see, he’s got a white star on his forehead, so 
he suits me!” 

“I suspect he’d suit us if he was blue and 
green cross-barred!” 


THE PONY 121 

like to ride kim!” suggested Betty, 
daringly. 

^‘We haven’t any saddle — ” 

“Indians never used them!” 

“You don’t mean you’d ride him bare- 
back?” 

“Yes, I would, just like a boy! Help me 
on, Tom!” 

Tom led the pony up to the fence and 
helped Betty climb on. “What can I hold 
to?” she demanded, a little uneasily, once 
she was on the pony’s broad back. 

“Indians don’t need anything to hold on 
to — just fold your arms, and I’ll lead the 
pony.” 

Betty rode for a short distance, and then 
called out, “Tom! Don’t you want to ride 
now?” 

“Yes,” agreed Tom, and no sooner was 
she off the pony’s back than he was on. 
“Isn’t it grand?” he sighed happily. 

“I believe I’d rather sit in a cart and 


122 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


hold the lilies,” confessed Betty. ‘‘He 
bounces so!” 

Mr. Thrift had just finished feeding 
Fire-fly, and he helped the twins feed the 
pony. “He cost more than I expected so 
we’ll have to get a cheap wagon,” he said. 

“Where did you get the pony?” 

‘ ‘ He ’s straight from the pony-farm. How 
do you like him?” 

“Like him!” repeated Betty. “I guess 
we’re going to love him to death!” 

“We’re going to choose a name for him 
to-night!” said Tom, smoothing the pony’s 
mane. 

“You won’t need to do that,” said their 
father, “he’s already named, and what’s 
more he knows his name when he hears it.” 

“What is it?” the twins, as usual, when 
excited, spoke together. 

“Dixie!” 

“We couldn’t have chosen a better one!” 
declared Tom. 


THE PONY 


123 


‘‘No, we couldn’t,” cried Betty, “but, 
Tom, we bad names for every letter of the 
alphabet except x, y, and z!” 

“You can use all that imagination now, 
in trying to figure out how to get a cart!” 
remarked Mr. Thrift. “IVe spent nearly 
all of your hundred!” 


CHAPTER XVI 


A TRIP IN THE DIXIE FLYER 

‘^How would you two like a home-made 
wagon for your pony?” asked Mr. Thrift, 
the next morning. believe I could make 
you a little cart if you’re not too particular 
as to looks.” 

‘‘We’ll be glad to get any kind,” declared 
Tom, “for we want to make a trip to Lilac 
Cottage and clean up the garden.” 

“Well, I’ll see what I can do. I’ll need a 
little help down at the blacksmith shop, and 
you may have to run on a lot of errands for 
me, but that will be good for you.” 

The wagon, when completed, was a neat 
little affair : a light box-frame, mounted on 
four old bicycle wheels ; as a finishing touch 
Mr. Thrift painted it brown, and printed 
124 


A TRIP IN THE DIXIE FLYER 125 

DIXIE FLYER on the side. The twins 
could not have been more pleased with the 
most expensive cart imaginable. They im- 
mediately planned a trip to the Cottage. 

Dixie was a very patient pony, standing 
quite still while being harnessed. When the 
children mounted the seat and shook the 
lines, he started out at a dignified trot. 
Shag ran along after them, barking, and 
finally jumped into the back of the wagon, 
resting his paws upon the seat, and pushing 
his head between Tom and Betty. 

‘^How do you like being a passenger, 
Shag?’’ asked Betty, patting his head. 

Shag didn’t pretend that he heard her. 

‘^His nose is out of joint,” said Tom. 
‘^Doesn’t this wagon run fine, Betty?” 

^‘Yes, it’s just like flyingl” 

^‘Did you bring some lunch?” 

‘‘Yes. That is, I brought some bread and 
butter, eggs, milk, and some cocoa. Mother 
told me how to make it. I want to taste 


126 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


something out of those blue cups! Did you 
think to bring matches?” 

‘‘I have them; and some hatchets, the 
sickle, and a rake. This is going to be a 
hard day’s work.” 

Lilac Cottage was just as they had left it, 
except that there was a coating of dust over 
everything, and the yard looked a little 
grayer and more winterish. 

Betty cleaned up the house again, while 
Tom cut weeds in the garden and piled them 
up. Then they both made a big bon-fire. 
When it had died down a little and Tom 
could watch it alone, Betty returned to the 
house, started a fire in the kitchen stove, 
heated water, and washed the blue dishes. 
Then she made some chocolate, and boiled 
the eggs. Then she set the table, and called 
Tom. 

They had just started to eat when a loud 
honk-honk from the road startled them 
both. 



“Doesn’t this wagon run fine, Betty?” 



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A TRIP IN THE DIXIE FLYER 127 

‘‘That sounds like Mr. Holgrove’s car!’’ 
cried Betty. 

“Am I invited to dinner?” called a gay 
voice, and the banker walked into the kitchen 
and pulled up a chair to the table. “I 
thought you’d be here, and I came out to 
see what repairs would be needed for my 
new tenants!” 

“If we could just have a chicken-house 
we wouldn’t need anything else,” said Tom. 

“All right, after lunch we’ll see where to 
put it.” 

After they were through eating, Betty 
washed the dishes, Tom wiped them, and 
Mr. Holgrove put them back in the cup- 
board. Then they went out into the yard. 

“First let me have a good look at your 
pony,” said the banker. “Where did you 
get your wagon?” 

“Father made it. Isn’t it fine?” 

“I should say sol What’s the pony 
called?” 


128 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


Dixie.” 

^‘Nice name. I’ll trade you my car for 
Mm!” 

Tom and Betty shook their heads. 

‘^Do you care if I drive him a piece?” 

‘‘No!” And the twins laughed. 

“When I was a boy — ^here on this very 
place — I used to dream of having a pony 
like this. I wanted one worse than I have 
ever wanted anything since. When I was 
finally able to get one I was too old — ^now, 
I want to see how it goes!” 

Solemnly he climbed into the little wagon, 
clucked with his tongue, and Dixie trotted 
gallantly down the lane and out upon the 
road. Tom and Betty climbed up on the 
gate to look after him. 

“Doesn’t he look big in our little cart?” 
laughed Betty. 

“Let’s get into his car and see how it feels 
to be there all alone!” suggested Tom. 

Perched upon the soft cushions the twins 


A TRIP IN THE DIXIE FLYER 129 


looked with curiosity at the row of shining 
push-buttons in front of them. pony’s 
much simpler!” decided Tom. 

After a little Mr. Holgrove drove back 
again. His hat had fallen off, his face was 
flushed, his hair all rumpled ; he looked like 
a boy. ‘‘That’s great!” he cried. “WiU you 
consider a trade with my bank thrown in for 
good measure?” 

“No — no — no! Our pony starts when we 
say get-up! and stops when we say whoa!” 
answered Betty, promptly. 

Mr. Holgrove laughed. “They haven’t 
got quite that far in automobile building.” 

They tramped all over the place, and de- 
cided to have the poultry-yard at the back 
of the house, with a good stout fence around 
it so that the chickens could be kept out of 
the garden. 

“I’ll have it built this winter,” said Mr. 
Holgrove, “then you can start early in the 
spring. I was talking with Miss Bertelle 


130 


THE THEIET TWINS 


this morning, and she is planning quite an 
extension of her tea-room next summer. 
She would contract with you for all the 
chickens and eggs you could raise. How 
are you going to look after them, though, at 
this distance?” 

‘Ht will take two trips a day,” answered 
Tom, ‘^but we can easily manage that part 
of it, now that we have a pony.” 

Mr. Holgrove nodded his head. ‘‘It won’t 
hurt to try. You may lose some through 
theft, or weasels, but in the long run, I think 
it will pay. I wish some one had suggested 

that to me when I was a boy ” He broke 

off, and began whistling softly. 

“You two are on the right track, and 
don ’t forget it ! ” he said presently. ‘ ‘ W ork, 
and save, while you’re young enough to en- 
joy the things that money will buy. When 
you’re old then, you’ll have pleasant memo- 
ries to keep you young, and money enough 
to keep you comfortable!” 


A TRIP IN THE DIXIE FLYER 131 


When Mr. Holgrove had driven away in 
his car, the twins went to work again, and 
kept at it until the weeds were all down. 

‘‘Now, doesn’t it look better?” demanded 
Betty, her head on one side. 

“Yes,” agreed Tom, “it looks like the 
house that Jack built!” 

“You mean the house that Tom-and- 
Betty built!” 

“Maybe that is more like it. But just 
wait till we get the cock that crowed in the 
morn — ” 

“And buy a cow, with crumpled horn — ” 

“Some day we may be able to have a 
dairy!” 

“Who knows? But just now I’m more 
interested in getting home to see what 
Mother has for supper!” concluded Betty. 

Dixie trotted briskly all the way home. 

“He’s thinking of something to eat,” ex- 
plained Tom, “and so am I! I could quar- 
rel with him for a bale of hay ” 


CHAPTER XVII 


THE LAST OF THE WORK! 

Tom and Betty were slowly, but surely, 
getting their bank-account filled, but as the 
days grew shorter, their trips- to the station 
had to come to an end. 

Let’s do something big, and finish this 
all up, Tom,” said Betty, as they came out 
of the bank one day. ‘‘Let’s make some- 
thing for Christmas ” 

“How about Christmas candy?” sug- 
gested Tom doubtfully. 

“I don’t know how, but I heard Mrs. 

Turner say that she did ” 

“We have plenty of walnuts!” 

“We could make the candy all right, but 
where could we sell it?” 

132 


THE LAST OF THE WORK 133 


Let’s take orders. Mr. Holgrove will 
take some, and we could leave some at the 
tea-room, and maybe some of the pupils at 
the school ” 

‘^Let’s try it!” 

‘‘Let’s go and ask Mrs. Turner how to 
make walnut fudge.” 

Mrs. Turner was sure that they could get 
plenty of orders. “I’ll get some orders for 
you among my neighbors, and the people 
in the church,” she said, “and I know a fine 
recipe for candy. I’ll show you how right 
away if you’ll help get the nuts ready.” 

Tom and Betty cracked the walnuts and 
picked out the kernels, and then watched 
every step in the process of candy-making. 

“This is a simple kind of fudge,” ex- 
plained Mrs. Turner, “but it is good, and I 
know it will sell. I’ll write out the recipe 
for you.” 

All the next week the twins practised on 
the candy, and when they could depend on 


134 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


getting it right, they began packing the lit- 
tle squares in pretty holly boxes. Betty 
found it a relief after so much pie-baking. 
‘‘Tom,” she said one day, as they were get- 
ting their materials ready, “I don’t believe 
I’ll ever care much again for apple pie!” 

“Nut-picking is a relief from apple-peel- 
ing, too!” admitted Tom. 

The twins first began their sales among 
their schoolmates. They found the half- 
pound boxes sold best among them, and 
they had no trouble in disposing of all they 
could make. Then they packed pound 
boxes and left them with Miss Bertelle, who 
promised to sell them for a ten per cent, 
commission. Their biggest order, though, 
was for little quarter-pound boxes, with a 
picture of the bank pasted on them, and 
tied with Christmas ribbon. These Mr. 
Holgrove wanted for all his customers. 
“They’re getting tired of calendars!” he 
said, “and I’ll give them a surprise.” 


THE LAST OF THE WORK 135 


Mrs. Turner obtained many orders for 
them, too, and finally had to help them 
make candy enough to fill them all. It was 
such an exciting time that the twins really 
did not realize how well they were doing, 
until Mr. Holgrove paid them for his 
Christmas candy, and they found to their 
surprise that they had run considerably be- 
yond the fifty mark. 

‘‘Let’s stop now, and rest up for Christ- 
mas,” said Betty. “I’m getting sick of the 
smell of warm fudge! Tom, I’m not going 
to want any candy this Christmas!” 

“Nor I either! I think I’ll eat an icicle 
instead.” 

“How are we going to celebrate, Tom?” 

“I think we ought to have some kind of a 
party!” 

“I do too!” said their mother. “Father 
and I have been planning something for 
you. What kind of a party do you want? 
Some of your schoolmates?” 


136 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


‘H’d like to have a party at Lilac Cot- 
tage ! ’ ’ said Betty. ‘ ^ And I ’d want Mr. Hol- 
grove and the Turners and Miss Bertelle — 
a grown-up party!” 

‘‘Wouldn’t it be too cold there?” objected 
Mrs. Thrift. 

“We could have a Yule log, couldn’t we ?” 
asked Tom. “That’s a fine old fireplace.” 

“Oh, sure enough! That would be quite 
cheerful. ’ ’ 

“If it would only snow,” sighed Tom, 
“then we could go in the big bob-sled!” 

“That might easily happen. The weather 
is about right for it. Then you want just the 
Turners, Mr. Holgrove, and Miss Bertelle?” 

“And Betty and I will go and Father and 
Mother ” began Tom. 

“I’m glad I’m invited,” said Mrs. Thrift, 
“even if I was named last! What would 
you have by way of entertainment?” 

“Ghost stories!” suggested Tom. 

“Real stories!” demanded Betty. “Just 


THE LAST OP THE WORK 137 


think how nice it would be there to sit by 
the fire and tell all you knew — 

‘^That wouldn’t take long enough.” in- 
terrupted Tom, ‘Hhat program wouldn’t 
last five minutes with me!” 

While they were discussing arrangements 
for their party, Mr. Thrift came in, waving 
a letter. have an invitation for all of us 
to a Christmas dinner/’ he said, smiling, 
^‘that will save me from getting a turkey!” 

^^An invitation!” cried Tom and Betty, 
in a disappointed voice. 

‘‘Yes! Look at this!” and Mr. Thrift 
laid a neat little card before them. 

Betty read it aloud : 

“Miss Bertelle requests the pleasure of 
the company of Tom and Betty Thrift at 
dinner, December 25. Their parents are 
requested to accompany them.” 

“How nice!” remarked Mrs. Thrift. 

“Great idea! I’ll certainly enjoy a din- 
ner in town!” 


138 


THE THEIFT TWINS 


Tom and Betty exchanged a glance. 

Couldn’t we go there for dinner, and 
then drive out to Lilac Cottage?” asked 
Betty. 

‘‘Finer yet!” agreed their father. 

“Now we must write an answer,” re- 
marked Mrs. Thrift. “Of course we’re go- 
ing to accept!” 

So, after supper, they all together com- 
posed the following reply : 

“Tom and Betty accept with the greatest 
pleasure Miss Bertelle’s invitation for De- 
cember 25. Their parents will gladly 
accompany them.” 

Then on another card they wrote : 

“Christmas afternoon at Lilac Cottage! 
Stories around the Yule Log! A bob-sled 
ride, if it snows!” 

These they addressed to Mr. Holgrove, 
Miss Bertelle, and the Turners. 

“Oh, dear!” sighed Betty, “it’s a whole 
week till Christmas!” 


CHAPTER XVIII 

CHRISTMAS 

When, on the twenty-second, it began to 
snow, the twins could scarcely keep from 
shouting, although they were in school at 
the time. Mr. Turner looked at them, and 
smiled, for he was glad to see the little 
flakes coming down, too. All that night 
and the next day the snow fell, soft and 
thick and smooth. Then the sun came out, 
softened the top of the snow, then it froze 
again. ‘‘Get ready for that sled-ride!” 
were the twins’ parting words to Mr. Turn- 
er, as they left school, not to return until 
after New Year’s. 

Christmas Day was clear, but cold. Mr. 
Thrift hitched the two farm horses to the 
big sled, and he and the twins prepared to 
139 


140 


THE THRIFT TWINS 


go first to the Lilac Cottage, so as to pre- 
pare for the party. They took with them 
some extra chairs, cushions, a basketful of 
apples and nuts, a jug of milk, and the big 
coffee-pot. ‘‘We grown-ups will need 
something to inspire us, when it comes to 
story-telling!” explained Mr. Thrift. 

Betty swept, dusted, and arranged the 
chairs, while Tom and his father started a 
fire. When it was burning well, they banked 
it carefully, so that they could put the 
Christmas log on it as soon as they should 
get back. Then they closed the cottage and 
went home to get ready for the dinner. 

The tea-room was beautifully decorated 
with holly and cedar branches. The table 
for Miss Bertelle’s guests was screened 
from the rest. The twins had known that 
Mr. Holgrove was to be there, but they were 
much surprised to find the Turners also. 
“Why didn’t you teU us?” demanded Betty 
of Mr. Turner. 


CKRISTMAS 


141 


was to be a surprise! We were plan- 
ning a dinner for you ourselves, but Miss 
Bertelle got out her invitations first 

‘‘So was I planning a dinner,’^ said Mr. 
Holgrove, “but I gave up when Miss Ber- 
telle told me about her plans!’’ 

The dinner was a great success. Tom and 
Betty refused nothing until the apple pie 
came around. Betty mutely shook her head. 
“No, thanks ! ’ ’ she murmured. Tom turned 
away from the walnut fudge. “I don’t 
seem to care for it to-day — ” he apologized. 

There was plenty of room in the bob-sled, 
and when they were all wrapped up, they 
started for Lilac Cottage. It was so cold 
that their breath rose in a cloud. “Tom, 
will you have your icicle now?” asked 
Betty. 

“No, not yet,” he answered, “I want to 
warm it first by the Yule log.” 

They covered the horses warmly, and 
went in to the fire. There was a fine bed of 


142 


THE THEIFT TWINS 


embers, and the log was soon blazing cheer- 
fully, the sparks flashing up the broad black 
chimney. 

^^ISTow for some stories!’^ cried Betty, as 
she and Tom seated themselves on cushions 
inside the circle of chairs. want true 
ones, mind! I don’t like made-up ones! 
You begin first. Miss Bertelle!” 

Miss Bertelle studied the fire a few mo- 
ments and then began ; 

‘‘When I was a few years older than you, 
Betty, my mother became very ill. Father 
had died the year before, and after the bills 
were paid. Mother and I had little or noth- 
ing to live on. Our little home had to be 
sold, and we were living in wretched rooms 
on Water Street. I remember one day 
overhearing one of the neighbor women 
saying that I would have to go to the Asylum 
in case my mother died. Then, one day 
when mother was very low, she sent for a 
man who had once befriended Father. He 


CHEISTMAS 


143 


came and had a long talk with her. I didn’t 
understand till later what it was all about, 
but I noticed that Mother was happier after 
that. After my mother’s death, this man 
came and explained to me that there was 
nothing left at all for me, but he promised 
to pay for my education, and said that I 
could repay him after I was earning my own 
living. He put me through high school and 
then sent me to a school where I learned 
lunch-room management. Hor was that all, 
for since that time he has befriended me in 
every way. I owe that man everything!” 

‘‘Let’s guess who that man was!” said 
Betty. 

“I don’t think it’s worth while,” said Mr. 
Holgrove. “Let’s hear from you, Mr. 
Turner!” 

“Did his name begin with H?” pursued 
Betty. 

“You’re getting warm!” 

“I knew all along it was Mr. Holgrove!” 


144 THE THEIFT TWINS 

said Betty. ‘‘You didn’t disguise him 
enough!” 

Mr. Turner said he positively had noth- 
ing to tell except that he had once met a lit- 
tle red-cheeked country girl and had asked 
her to marry him. “And she did!” he said, 
“and we’ve lived happily ever after!” 

Mrs. Turner turned to Mrs. Thrift. “And 
all I have to say is, that you have reason to 
be happy, this Christmas, Mrs. Thrift! — 
If only my little ones had lived ” 

“We know we are fortunate,” said Mrs. 
Thrift, “and for my true story. I’ll just 
refer you to these two volumes at my 
feet!” 

“She means you and me, Tom!” said 
Betty. “Now, Mr. Holgrove, you’ve simply 
got to tell us a longer story! Wait till I 
stir up the fire a little.” 

The wind blew a dash of snow against the 
window, and they all drew a little nearer 
the fire. 


CHEISTMAS 


145 


<< There isn’t much to tell. I was born 
here in this very house, and my earliest rec- 
ollection is of sitting here, my face burning 
and my back freezing, while I watched the 
potatoes roast. I used to sit here later, 
when I was going to school, and dream 
about what I’d do when I grew up. We 
were poor and I had no fun like other boys, 
and I made up my mind that if I ever could 
make any money, I’d surely save some of 
it ! When I was through school I began to 
work in the bank. I’ll never forget how 
proud I was of my first one hundred dol- 
lars!” 

‘‘It feels pretty good to have fifty!” in- 
terrupted Betty. “Doesn’t it, Tom?” 

“Then it mounted till I had a thousand 
dollars. Then I began to invest, and some- 
how I managed to get along — the years 
have drifted past — and I’ve always kept 
this little place so that I wouldn’t forget 
the time when I was poor. I like to come 


146 THE THRIFT TWINS 

here once in a while and think of those 
dreams of my boyhood ’’ 

^‘And of the pony you never got?’’ asked 
Betty. 

‘‘Yes — of the — ^pony I never got! And 
that’s why I’ve always been interested in 
seeing people try to save. Let’s drink some 
of the fine coffee that is boiling here, to the 
health and success of the twins!” 

Every one took a cup of coffee, except the 
twins, who filled cups with milk, and drank 
a toast: 

“Long life and good luck to Tom and 
Betty Thrift!” 

“And to their father and mother!” added 
Mrs. Turner. 

“And to their pony-^” put in Tom. 

“And to their dog Shag!” concluded 
Betty. 

The Christmas log burned on. Each one 
of the little party gazed into the glowing 
embers, wrapped with flickering blue 


CHRISTMAS 


147 


flames, and saw there the secret desires of 
his heart. The older ones saw pictures of 
their youth; but Tom and Betty saw won- 
derful visions of the future — a busy sum- 
mer at Lilac Cottage, new interests, new 

savings, new plans a life full to the 

brim. The Yule log burned on, and in its 
cheerful blaze, all things seemed possible. 

THE END 


















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